Putting On The Ritz
by babesrus2
Summary: Sequel to Love Is A Four Letter Word. Stephanie steps up to help Ranger once again. A Babe HEA.
1. Chapter 1

**This is where I say that Janet Evanovich owns these characters, except for a few of my own imagination. **

**As a number of you know, 'Married' was my first submission onto this terrific site and while I shudder with horror at the learning curve I experienced writing for more than my own enjoyment only, I forged ahead. Not taking my own advice to stop at one, I followed it eventually with the sequel 'Love is a Four Letter Word', getting better as a writer (I hope). It has been awhile since I wandered around in this scenario, but I knew eventually that I needed to finish what I started. Therefore, this is the sequel to 'Love is a Four Letter Word'. **

**Thank you in advance for reading along. **

Chapter 1

Dios. There had to be another way.

I wracked my brain thinking of some other solution.

Tank stood by silently with his arms crossed over his massive chest. He had been the first to broach the subject. His eyes said that he knew it was the right thing to do and the sooner I realized it, the better it would go. Les and Bobby had also taken me aside and had given their opinions. What they were suggesting ….

His eyes followed me as I paced back and forth in my office.

"Fuck!"

I strode to my desk and picked up my cellphone laying on the blotter. I looked at it with revulsion, knowing that this one phone call could change our relationship forever. Almost unconsciously I pressed the one button that I came to value more every day.

"Babe."

~~~o0o~~~

Stephanie pulled into the open parking space by the elevator. She had come to the conclusion a long time ago that it was being left for her exclusive use. Ranger had three others for his personal use and other Rangeman vehicles lined up in precise straight rows along the outer walls.

She stepped out of her car. It was a 2013 Buick Regal, so new to her that she could practically smell the new car smell. Her dad had been smug as she drove up to the house to show them her new wheels. At least one of his children had now seen the light and realized how reliable his favorite make of cars were. Stephanie preferred to believe that it had been the best deal for the money.

So many things had changed in the past seventeen months.

Stephanie had finished completely revamping Kennedy Horse Accessories and was generating business on an internet site with Open Houses at racing events.

Tank and Lula had two very active growing twin boys who were keeping their parents very, very busy. Lula was a stay-at-home mom. Thomas Ricardo was the big brother by a whopping seven minutes but James Pierre was the undisputed leader and chief instigator.

Tank and Lula had been in the secret process of adopting when they found out they were expecting, a beautiful surprise since Lula had been advised by various doctors that the damage Ramirez had inflicted on Lula ruled her unable to have children.

Their boys were now eleven months old and even the nanny and housekeeper were having a hard time watching them. The twinkle in their eyes usually precluded some mischief. They were going to be a handful when they grew older and Tank was already making plans for baby boot camp.

Joyce Barnhardt had moved away, deciding that a new line of work in a new city was the way to go. It was completely possible that the final straw might have been that she had been caught in her latest and most humiliating clandestine location, a marriage and divorce courtroom with the presiding judge. The cameras which had not been turned off, had captured every moan, every word and every position on film.

Vinnie had been as vocal as everyone else wishing her good riddance, but it was clear that he would be missing their 'office meetings'.

Connie continued to work at Plum Bonds Agency, but she had established some new rules and conditions. Not wanting to hear any more inappropriate sounds coming from her boss's office, she had had the walls soundproofed while he and Lucille had taken a two week cruise to the Caribbean.

Vinnie had returned to his new office with his brand new computer set on Parental Control and she had the codes to rescind it. They sat down and hammered out a new agreement.

In return for the codes, he approved an immediate 50% pay rise, a clothing budget, three weeks paid holiday and no more Saturday shifts. A muscle-bound ape with The Family's colored tie sat in the waiting room drinking Vinnie's coffee as the meeting progressed.

Connie was now much happier and Vinnie whimpered his way to Harry, his father-in-law for more money.

Stephanie had ceased working as a BEA some time ago. She had taken over as Manager of Kennedy Horse Accessories. Six months later, she signed the final papers buying the business from Matthew Kennedy and it was now a very successful on-line business.

Stephanie was finally putting the business degree that her parents had paid for to good use.

She was knowledgeable about the equine business having ridden horses for years. She was working on her own personal line of equestrian clothing and the orders were beginning to show a profit. The wonderful lady in Point Pleasant was now unable to keep up with the orders and she had been forced to hire out the manufacturing of the clothing. Stephanie was feeling more confident each season as more and more orders came in for her apparel.

Stephanie had grudgingly sold her little house on the beach at Point Pleasant. She had loved to head there for some special down-time, but what little time off she had was spent traveling, or with Ranger.

Stephanie and Ranger had one of those weird relationships that allowed the odd weekend to be spent together, but during the workweek they were totally absorbed in their own careers.

They had their own apartments, Ranger on seven and Stephanie in a cute little condo on the edge of the Burg, but just far enough away that she was no longer the topic of conversation.

Ranger still consented to short missions but he had backed away from the long term and out of country insertions. He had finally passed on the reins to younger operatives and was feeling relief that when his latest contract was up, nobody would come begging him to sign another.

~~~o0o~~~

Tank stood watching as Ranger phoned the one person he needed more in his life everyday.

He had seen the progression of their relationship begin to expand. A dinner here, a weekend there. Slowly they had evolved into meeting either at his new ocean-view retreat outside of Miami, at her place, or sometimes they took off out of town, or in the private jet to some little get-away warm and away from prying eyes.

Stephanie had grown up in more ways than one. She was now a very confident, self-assured businesswoman.

Her business had taken off. The lovely thing about Stephanie was that once the potential clients met her, she needed no assistance from anybody else to get going. Word spread and her cellphone was ringing off the hook and there was a steady stream of emails coming in on her trusty laptop.

Stephanie put her hand up to press the elevator button but it arrived and almost immediately the door opened. She was reaching to press five when the button lit up automatically and the elevator rose.

She stepped out into the main office. Ranger had been keeping up with new and more intricate systems and Hector and his team were always busy installing new equipment, new programs or shortcuts that made the life of the Rangemen easier to access necessary data. Her old cubicle was no longer. In fact, all the cubicles had been dismantled and new state-of-the-art work stations stood in their place. Sometimes, Stephanie would look around and miss the old look. There were so many good memories of working at Rangeman with the practical jokes and pranks that were played on a continual basis. She had had a lot of fun working there.

Now, the employees were newer and younger, much younger. Stephanie looked around. Cal and Hal were running their own offices. Junior was no longer at Rangeman. He was forced to take over from his father in their family business. His dad had suffered a debilitating stroke and the recovery would be slow. Hector was setting up the new branch in Denver. His computer skills were absolutely scary and with one stroke he could bring up the most minute detail in each branch. Manny was the new operations officer in charge of co-ordinating with the government alphabet branches. He was constantly on the road setting up and planning everywhere from Florida and the persistent drug trade, to Texas and the never-ending underground slave trade coming in up and down the coast. Rangeman had a finger on the pulse of dishonesty and Manny and his own version of spidey sense was helping to clean it up.

Stephanie headed for Ranger's office. The door was closed so she stopped and politely knocked. She heard the word, 'Enter', and stepped in.

Seated in chairs and the couch were the core team, as she still loved to think of them. Les and Bobby were seated on the sofa and Tank had taken possession of the extra large guest chair in front of Ranger's desk. Ranger was seated in his office chair and rose as she walked in. He looked so handsome in his work attire and she mentally licked her lips.

Stephanie was hoping that someday her thoughts of Ranger would come true. Some days Stephanie was afraid to think of Ranger and what might come true.

He came around and enveloped her in a hug and a kiss to just behind her ear. It was a favorite spot and he loved when she would wriggle in pleasure.

He guided her around his desk and sat down, pulling her to sit on his lap. She was his, and he was hers. Unfortunately they just had to admit it to themselves.

She looked at the men. They had started to show a few signs of age. A gray hair here, crows feet there. Their fitness routines were still the same in the morning but there were subtle differences; a smaller weight on the benches, a few less repetitions, a little less time on the treadmill.

Stephanie waited patiently for the reason he had called.

Ranger spoke.

"Babe, I need your help."


	2. Chapter 2

**Once again, thank you for reading. Janet is so very lucky to own these amazing characters. I wonder, would she barter for one or more of them. **

Chapter 2

Stephanie sat on Ranger's lap.

She had literally come from the airport and her bags were still in the trunk. She felt grungy from her flight and just wanted to relax and take a long, long bubble bath.

She thought of Ranger's oversized jet tub on seven and in spite of everyone in the room watching, she started to wriggle with the thought of soaking in that giant bubble-filled cavity.

The men watched her with amusement but they kept their remarks to themselves. She had always telegraphed her emotions and it was not hard to sense that soon they might be losing both the Bomber and the boss.

Ranger whispered in her ear and immediately a deep blush inched its' way up her face. She stopped wriggling in embarrassment.

Ranger spoke.

"Babe. We want to discuss a situation. Rangeman is providing security for the Forbes Women's Summit in New York next month in May. This is the very first time that we have been successful in securing the contract and we are excited to be providing security for this important event."

He looked at her. She had straightened up after leaning unconsciously back against his chest. Her eyes had instantly lit up and he could sense her become excited.

This was a huge event and she had hoped that she might be accepted to attend this year. Just in case, she had kept those days open on her calendar.

She had sent in her application with the requisite deposit. She had been cautioned that it was a very exclusive affair and not to be discouraged if her application was rejected for a few years. She was making a name for herself in the business world but the names of attendees and presenters was almost enough to take ones' breath away. This year she had heard that among others, Dr Cori Bargmann, of the Rockefeller University, Cherie Blair of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, Denise Morrison of Campbell Soup Company, and Dr. Faraz Farzin from Lumosity, were but a few who were presenting.

It was all about entrepreneurship and innovation, and new ideas, and the strength and ability to move ones' dream forward.

Stephanie had her hopes set on attending.

Ranger spoke again.

"Babe, as I said, we have been contracted to provide security, but we asked that you be allowed to attend the Summit. We would like a woman inside, as the saying goes."

He looked at her and he could see a myriad of emotions cross her face. She was excited to attend, but at the same time he could see the disappointment that she apparently was not accepted to attend on her own merits. He could also see a flash of annoyance that they had tried to plan her life again without asking her.

Ranger looked at the men. He could sense their sadness as they realized how she was feeling.

Les was quick to speak up.

"Beautiful, you were accepted to attend the Summit on your own merit. If you check your bank account, your cheque cleared before we even made the request. I expect that the email should be showing up in your in-box any day. We hoped we were not overstepping our bounds but the fact that you had already mentioned in passing to Ranger of your hopes to attend this year gave us the encouragement to ask on your behalf. Rangeman will be covering your cost for the conference and we will reimburse you for the deposit if you accept."

The relief on Stephanie's face was instantaneous and the tension in the room evaporated immediately.

She looked at Les and her eyes narrowed. Had he looked into her banking information?

Les shook his head and he quickly spoke.

"No Beautiful. I did not look. They advised us that you were already on the accepted list. In fact, they forwarded a little note that they were excited that you wanted to attend."

Stephanie sat up even straighter. Her eyes were now showing excitement and curiosity.

"Okay, so why would you need eyes inside, if I may be so bold as to ask?"

The men looked at each other before answering, clearing their throats.

Tank spoke up this time.

"Little Girl, we like to be prepared, but at the same time, we have heard whispers from some of our sources that there might be some kind of disruption at the Summit. We are trying to pursue more leads, but at the present time, it is a general sense of caution that we are employing. As we get more details, we will be keeping you appraised. Your job is to attend the Summit and take all the time you need to have and soak in the experience of who will be attending and who will be presenting. Your reputation is starting to gain some very worthwhile and important attention in the business world. Your assent in business is garnering a lot of attention."

Tank looked like he had exhausted his entire vocabulary for the day and he sat back.

Bobby now took over and spoke up.

"We have the utmost confidence that your spidey sense will pick up anything we need to diffuse and keep the distractions down at the Summit. Above all else, you are a woman and you will have intimate knowledge of the inner workings of dealing with this many females in one area. We are not looking for tension per se, but sometimes it is useful to know if there is uneasiness coming from a certain area that we are not familiar with and can attempt to head it off before it becomes a problem."

Stephanie pondered her next question.

"So, it sounds like you do your job providing general security, and I filter through the different venues and look for something that might be elusive or understated, am I correct?"

All four men nodded their heads.

Stephanie smiled and relaxed. She could do this, and it was going to be fun. She could just sense it and could now plan accordingly.

She stood up and looked at Ranger.

"I need to go shopping, Ranger. I need to do a lot of shopping. Nothing in my closet will suffice for what this week will include. Now that I know I am attending, I need to seriously upgrade my wardrobe."

He smiled and opened a drawer, taking out an envelope and handed it to Stephanie. She looked puzzled and peeked in the envelope.

Inside was a Black American Express card with her name on it. Sitting behind the card was a stack of hundred dollar bills.

Stephanie looked at Ranger and shook her head.

"I was not looking for a handout, Ranger. I was just stating that I will need to fit time in my schedule for a shopping trip."

He smiled and looked at the envelope that she had placed on the top of the desk.

"Babe, the contract is very lucrative to Rangeman and there was a stated budget for apparel. We all have our tux's and during the days we will be dressed in our Rangeman uniforms, so you could use this since we asked you for your help."

Ranger handed the envelope back to Stephanie and she grudgingly accepted it. At first glance it looked to be a lot of cash along with the card.

Ranger added.

"I know you are a master shopper, Babe, but I don't think that Macy's will fit the requirement this time. In the envelope are a couple of cards that Ella obtained. Names and numbers are written on the back and you should contact them as soon as possible to schedule an appointment."

Stephanie looked at her watch. It was late in the afternoon and she wanted to get home and unpack. Her tub with its' jets would have to do. She could call the numbers and fit them into her schedule.

Stephanie stood up, gave a kiss to Ranger, then a hug to Tank, Les and Bobby and made her way out the door. They could hear her exclaim as she waited for the elevator.

"Holy moley, there's ten thousand dollars in cash in this envelope! How much do they think I will spend?"

The men laughed as she entered the elevator and the door closed. They figured she was about to learn about the cost of high fashion, and soon.

~~~o0o~~~

In another state, there was a meeting. The leader looked over the assembled flock. "The Brotherhood and the Sisterhood are committed to the cause. It is dedication at the highest level that allows us to co-ordinate with our fellow brethren. We are confident that our cause is just and we will be successful in our mission."

~~~o0o~~~

Stephanie sat in her tub. Bubbles were perched on top of one another and reached well over her shoulders the entire length of the tub.

She heard the front door open and keys drop into the dish by the door.

She heard rustling in the kitchen and listening carefully she could hear soft footsteps coming down the hallway. She smiled as the door opened.

Ranger stepped in. In one hand was a silver tray with fruits and a small bowl of yogurt in the middle. In the other was a bottle of red wine and two tall wine glasses balanced between his fingers. They softly clinked as he walked in.

Placing the treats on the small table which he pulled to the side of the tub, he swiftly disrobed and slid in behind his Babe. They both sighed in contentment at the same time.

They clinked the glasses of wine and took a small sip. Ranger reached over and picked up a long sliver of pineapple and dipping it in the yogurt gently moved it to her lips to take a bite. Stephanie opened her mouth and took a small bite, moaning in enjoyment.

Ranger shifted.

He accepted a slice of melon also dipped in yogurt. A drop of juice meandered its way down the side of his face and she reached up and gently with a finger gathered it up, then put her finger in her mouth and sucked it pulling it out with a slight pop.

Ranger shifted again.

The plate was empty and the wine finished, they stood up and stepped out. Each grabbed a large bath sheet and lovingly patted their partner dry, taking care of sensitive areas. They tucked the bath sheets around each other like togas and slowly made their way into the bedroom.

Ranger unwrapped his Roman beauty and guided her backwards to the bed. He reached under her and grasping her by her cheeks he lifted her gently on the bed. Stephanie had also worked the knot on Ranger's towel loose and it joined its' mate on the floor.

The coupling was gentle and slow. It had been a few weeks since they had last been together and they felt no need to rush.

Stephanie lay curled up with her head on Rangers chest and he was playing with one of her curls. They would talk and catch up later what they had been doing and seeing and working at, but now it was time to just revel in each others' company.

Stephanie fell asleep, murmuring her little happy sounds. She felt safe and secure in his arms. She was with the man she loved and she was happy. They looked and acted like a completely established couple.

Ranger looked down at his Babe. He was finding it increasingly difficult to watch her leave each time on another plane, or in a car. He was wondering how much farther they were willing to take this relationship. While he was not all that excited to put his name to a paper making their union legal, he was hoping that at least in their eyes, they were together through thick and thin.

He thought of the last time he had almost lost her. Gerry Keepner had been tried and convicted of killing the three agents and a number of females unlucky enough to have come in contact with him. He had been sentenced to death and was currently in Kentucky on death row. Unfortunately Gerry had hired a very, very good lawyer and the appeals would take years to exhaust.

He thought of Tank and Lula living their lives with their twin boys growing bigger and stronger every day. He had spent some time at their house and the boys never played strange with him, wanting to climb all over him and willing to sit for a minute on his lap.

Tank had brought the boys to Rangeman a number of times and work ground to an instant halt as soon as the monitoring station could see them pull up in the garage. Hands were willing to hold babies and eyes were constantly checking on them as they crawled everywhere.

The men had learned their lessons fast. James Pierre was the instigator with Thomas Ricardo right behind him. JP was making up for the fact that he was the baby brother and appeared to lead the charge in getting into mischief.

Everyone could remember the day that as they watched TR pulling down a whole in-box of papers and forgot to watch what JP was doing. He had crawled over and had pulled out the main power cord linking all the monitors together, plunging the entire network into blackness.

Hector had raced up the stairs in a panic and spent the next two hours bringing up the units one by one, starting with the main monitoring system. He had scowled his expletives and Tank had been ready to cover the boys ears from any ensuing words coming out of Hector's mouth in disgust. At least they would have been muttered in Spanish.

There had been an immediate meeting after Tank and the babies left. The battery back-up power source had failed at its most in-opportune time.

Now, when they visited, two men were tasked to watch over the boys. So far, they had not created another incident.

Daddy Tank had been embarrassed that he too had lost track. He prided himself on paying attention to detail but his sons were certainly shaping up to be a handful.

As the boys were locked into their car seats, he had glanced at Ranger standing by watching. He detected a tiny smile and before they knew it they were both doubled over with laughter.

It would be an interesting time in the Sherman house and neither of them even wanted to attempt to envision what the next eighteen years or so would turn out to be.

Ranger watched as Tank drove out of the garage. He had not been there when Julie had been born. He never watched her first smile, her first words, her first steps or her first day of school. He was the biological parent sending a cheque each month, seeing his daughter if and when he was in town.

He wondered if he would ever experience the feeling of real fatherhood. He wondered if he would ever want to experience the feeling of real fatherhood.


	3. Chapter 3

**I am making no money from this and all mistakes are mine. Reviews are the only way we know if you like it.**

Chapter 3

Stephanie sat down with her calendar open on her laptop, and a flavoured coffee by her side. She had woken up in the king-sized bed alone and the sheets cool to the touch. She felt a sense of remorse that she had not wakened up as Ranger prepared to leave. She missed his morning kiss, and come to think of it, a lot more than the kiss.

She had the cards in front of her. Ella had made a few notes on the back of each one with respect to what they specialized in. Stephanie noticed that all of the cards were from stores in New York.

She had thought that she would take her time and shop locally, or when she was out of town. It appeared that Ella had different ideas on that matter and had given her a choice of different stores. Stephanie did not have time to shop at stores selling individual product so chose a number that specialized in both clothing and accessories.

She picked up her phone and dialed the first number. A pleasant voice answered on the second ring.

"Saks on fifth, how may I direct your call."

Stephanie looked at the card.

"May I speak with Jennifer Halstead, please?"

There was silence on the line.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Halstead is on presently on leave from Saks."

Stephanie thought about her next question.

"Her name was recommended to me, but I will be attending a Summit next month and I was wondering if I could set up an appointment for perusing your line of women's apparel complete with accessories."

There was a pregnant pause.

"Will you be presenting or just attending, miss."

Stephanie looked at the phone. She was getting a definitely hinkey vibe and was feeling uncomfortable.

"Thank you for your time. I will contact you later with respect to making an appointment."

She hung up the phone and took the card, throwing it in the garbage can by her desk. Take that!

She picked up another card and dialed the number.

"Barneys, how may I direct your call?" came over the phone.

Once again Stephanie spoke.

"I would like to make an appointment with Miguel Thompson, please. His name was recommended to me."

Stephanie could hear keys being tapped.

"I have Mr. Thompson's schedule in front of me, but unfortunately he is solidly booked through a month from now."

Stephanie looked at her calendar. A month from now would be the Summit week and she needed the clothes before then. This would not work.

She spoke to the lady on the line.

"I am sorry but my schedule is completely booked up at that time. I thank you for your assistance and will keep Mr. Thompson's card in case I get another chance to see him at another time."

The lady was very polite.

"I am sorry that Barneys was unable to help you, ma'am. Please consider us when you are visiting New York again."

Stephanie put a note on the card and slid it into her blotter. She picked up the next card, hoping that third time was the charm.

She dialed the number and it was picked up on the second ring.

"Halston Heritage, how may I direct your call?"

Stephanie looked at the new card in her hand.

"I would like to make an appointment with Rodney Hammond, please. His name was recommended to me"

There was a moment of silence. The lady on the line appeared to be finding a screen and Stephanie could hear her clicking keys as she spoke.

"May I have your name, please?"

Stephanie spoke. "Stephanie Plum."

Obviously her name had come up somehow and the lady spoke again.

"One moment, Ms. Plum. Mr. Hammond is expecting your call."

Stephanie sat back in her chair. He was expecting her call? There was a click on the line and a silky voice spoke.

"Ms. Plum, I am delighted that you chose to call me. Ella has spoken to me about you attending the Summit and unfortunately I have only one cancellation that I can pencil you in. I was very pleased to hear from my lovely Ella and please give her my love when you see her."

Stephanie looked down. Her schedule was getting pretty full with the start of the racing season beginning. She already had a number of shows booked. Her thought of taking a few hours and just finding something was rapidly losing ground to a slight twinge of panic.

She spoke.

"Thank you for seeing me, Mr. Hammond. I had originally thought of flying in a few days before the conference, but I am getting the impression that I should be looking at something a bit sooner?"

There was an audible gasp and Mr. Hammond spoke.

"My dear, for a conference as important as this, we will need some lead time. Unfortunately the later you wait the more chance you will possibly find someone else wearing your same ensemble which would not do at all. Now, I have my schedule in front of me and time is certainly of the essence here. I have an opening tomorrow at 9:30 am but if that is a bit too soon in the day, I can push it back to 10:30. I have your measurements already and will have a selection of outfits for you to peruse and hopefully choose. Will you need a car to pick you up from your hotel?"

Stephanie was sitting literally with her mouth hanging open. She had always just gone shopping days or hours before an event and had always found something. It appeared that there was going to be some maneuvering needed. She looked at her schedule. Tomorrow was penciled in as an off-day, a day that she had wanted to visit with Lula and the boys, see her parents and hang out with her nieces.

Thinking quickly she spoke.

"I would prefer 10:30 if that is not too much trouble and I will fly down tomorrow morning. Thank you for the offer of a ride but I will make my own arrangements. "

Mr. Hammond spoke again.

"Thank you for choosing Halston Heritage, Ms. Plum. I hope you have a very nice day and I look forward to meeting you."

Stephanie responded.

"Thank you for your kindness. I will see you tomorrow."

Stephanie pressed the button on her phone ending the call.

She sat looking at her now altered schedule and sighed. This was becoming a harder assignment and she had not even begun to fully comprehend her efforts that would be needed to prepare for taking the time away while attending the conference.

Stephanie received a beep on her phone, and she pressed the button to call back.

She could not help it and a bit of her whiney voice made an appearance.

"Ranger, were you aware of the time commitment I would be needing for my freaking wardrobe for the conference? And on top of it, I think this is going to be very, very expensive for Rangeman to cover."

Ranger chuckled. He had talked to Ella about just that very thing not an hour ago. He knew that she was very good at scouting out a good deal but with the expanded list of movie stars and personalities attending that the paparazzi would be out in force. He wanted her to look good and feel good as she mingled and took in the conference.

"I talked to Ella about that and she assured me that you would be up for the challenge."

Stephanie sighed.

"I have an appointment at Halston Heritage at 10:30 and I have absolutely no idea where it is in New York. Ranger, I am afraid that I am going to be spending a lot of your money very, very soon. Are you sure about this?"

Ranger sighed. If she only knew how much money he had, but he was not about to bring that into play so he tried to play it calm.

"As I told you yesterday, Babe, the contract is extremely lucrative and even taking into account your estimated clothing budget for this, we are very confident of making a lot of money. Now stop worrying. What time should I have the plane available for you and I have already booked your car service from the airport for the day."

Internally she was still reeling that she had almost lost her window of opportunity and the fact that the different clothiers were fully booked up for over a month in advance except for this one cancellation. In the past, she would have headed for her favorite store, flicked through racks until she had found a few things, then tried them on, then wander to another store to find more if they didn't work. She had always had a set pattern; clothes, shoes, then lingerie. That routine had always worked for one outfit, but needing a few more for the conference would have taken considerably more time and that she was short of. Stephanie shook her head at the learning curve in high fashion. If she was helping Rangeman, even silently, she wanted, no, needed to play the part and show up in appropriate apparel.

Stephanie could feel her anticipation begin to build. She was determined to make this fun and to enjoy the Summit and to learn something. Was that not why she had applied in the first place?

Her mind had been wandering and Ranger came back on the line. He had put her on hold for a phone call and while she was waiting, had been making notes thinking what she might need.

Unfortunately her wardrobe contained mostly business casual right now and it was starting to look a bit tired in her opinion. She made a mental note that she really needed to take some time to update it. Besides, it still had that Trenton look and working out west, she figured that she might have to adjust her wardrobe a bit to cater to more of a temperate climate. Kentucky did not have the extreme weather changes that New Jersey enjoyed and she was finding that a large portion of her wardrobe stayed home.

Stephanie planned on taking a few hours off back in Kentucky and check out some stores there. Unfortunately as busy as she was now, she had to schedule everything. No longer could she just drop everything and go shopping.

Ranger came back on the line.

"Babe, I have arranged for the plane to be ready for take-off at 0830. Taking into consideration the traffic you should arrive there a few minutes ahead. Your driver will contact Mr. Hammond when he is approximately ten minutes away and they will co-ordinate the entrance you arrive at and the entourage awaiting you."

She mentally looked at her closet and started to plan outfits to pack for her next trip. She would have to leave from New York instead of Newark.

"Can you suggest a hotel, Ranger? It appears that I will be staying overnight then flying from New York to Lexington for my meeting."

Ranger nodded as he spoke.

"I will book you into The London, Babe. We have an account there for clients. The plane will be ready for you to leave by noon the next day. I know you have to be in Lexington for your four o'clock."

She was not surprised that Ranger had her calendar memorized. He had probably glanced at it as he had dressed that morning. She had made a paper copy and left it on her desk.

Stephanie worked on her laptop for the rest of the day, planning and moving meetings around. Her cell-phone rang with incoming calls and questions, inquiries and specific questions for the first of many Open Houses.

She looked at the time. Where had the day gone?

Stephanie stood up from her kitchen table and she could feel how stiff she was. Once again, she groaned at her lack of planning on purchasing a condo with no exercise facilities. She looked outside to gauge if she could chance a run to the park down the road. It was still light, but by the time she finished with her fitness routine, darkness would have fallen.

Stephanie pulled out her yoga mat and began a shortened but invigorating exercise routine. She was used to a small space to work in because of hotel rooms, and looking at the clock once again, she noted that over an hour had elapsed.

After a refreshing shower to remove the sweat glistening her body, she wandered into her kitchen, checking the freezer for something, and hopefully, somewhat healthy in there.

She smiled. Some food fairy had obviously been in and there were packages of frozen food with cooking directions plainly attached.

Stephanie looked through her choices and pulling out a chicken dish, set it to heat.

Just then her phone rang again and she grabbed it before it went to voicemail. It was a rancher from out west, calling with some questions.

Stephanie hung up the phone. She pulled her trusty suitcase out of the closet and started to pack. She would need clothes for just over two weeks this time.

The oven timer dinged and she sat down to eat. Ella had hidden a frozen dessert in the corner and licking the fork, she sighed. She loved Ella.

She took a solitary shower and climbed into bed. She was wearing one of Ranger's t-shirts and the smell of his body wash calmed her. She fell asleep quickly and woke up refreshed and ready for the day. A quick shower and some time in the bathroom fixing her hair and make up and she strode out the door to her bedroom.

She was planning on wearing a spring wrap-around dress with sandals and a mesh handbag to match.

Her phone beeped. Her ride was at the front door waiting to take her to the airport.

Stephanie looked around at her condo. She was spending less and less time here every time she came home. Locking the door behind her she pulled her suitcase behind her to the elevator mentally cataloging that she had everything. Purse, check, computer bag, check, suitcase, check, farewell kiss from Ranger, missing and very unhappy about it.

She stepped out the door and smiled.

Ranger was standing by the passenger door of the Turbo. He had perched a chauffeurs hat on his head and had slipped on a black jacket. He was wearing his 1000 watt smile as he opened the door.

She walked to him and gave him a kiss. He was so thoughtful to take her to the airport.

Ranger continued to play the part of her chauffeur. It was m'lady this and yes, ma'am that. They pulled up to the plane and James was standing by the steps. He took her suitcase, putting it in the small hold and locking it in then climbed into the plane.

Ranger hugged her to him. He had been hoping to spend a few more hours with his Babe, but she was helping Rangeman with this detail and he couldn't be more proud of how she had accommodated the sudden change in plans.

He held her close and spoke.

"Take care Babe. I was only trying to set the stage for you with respect to having drivers cater to your transportation needs."

Stephanie hugged him back.

"I may have someone driving me around a strange city, but I loved how you took on the part this morning. I don't think that my driver could handle my other needs, Ranger, so you better not accept any short-term missions before I see you again."

With that, she stepped out of his embrace and headed up the stairs into the plane.

She looked back at Ranger and giggled to herself. His eyes had narrowed to that dangerous level and she could see him visibly clear his throat.

Well, that should keep him thinking until she returned.

The door of the aircraft closed and the engines started. Ranger watched as his Babe looked out the window and waved at him and blew him a kiss.

If she only knew.


	4. Chapter 4

**Standard disclaimer that I do not own these wonderful fictional characters.**

Chapter 4

Stephanie sat in the comfortable seating area as the plane flew toward New York. She had tried to dissuade Ranger from putting the plane at her disposal for such a short trip. Really, in less than half an hour she would be there.

Stephanie did not even have time to take her laptop out of the bag and begin to work when James came on the intercom and advised her that he was on final approach.

She watched as the plane taxied to a waiting limo on the private arrivals apron. She waited in her seat as James opened the door and released the steps. She picked up her bags and made her way off the plane. The driver had already accepted the suitcase and was just closing the trunk as she stepped off the last step. James was standing by the steps and he spoke.

"Steph, I will be back to collect you tomorrow at noon. I have already confirmed with the driver and we will get you on your way to your meeting."

Stephanie reached over and gave him a soft kiss on his cheek. He grinned and headed up the stairs. She had always done the same thing when she and Ranger used the plane. It was their goodbye ritual.

She walked over to the waiting limo. Her driver had the back door open and he stood by the door patiently waiting for her to slide in.

He closed the door then walked around to the drivers' door and took his place. As he turned on the engine, he spoke through the intercom.

"Good morning, Ms. Plum. My name is Charles. I am to be your driver while you are in New York. Mr. Hammond sends his greetings and is expecting you at your convenience. My card with my cell is on the seat beside you and to the left."

Stephanie picked up the card and spoke.

"Thank you Charles. I am unsure right now how long I will be at Halston Heritage but what lead time would you need to pick me up later? I am not familiar with New York and the distance from there to my hotel."

Charles spoke again as he was pulling smoothly into the traffic leaving the airport.

"Mr. Hammond's assistant will contact me with an update on when you should be free. The drive is fairly short, ma'am, but if you wish, I could take you around some of the sights of New York. It is a beautiful city during the day, but at night with all the lights, it is spectacular!"

Stephanie thought about the plan. She figured she might be tired after trying on clothes, but the chance to see New York at night was almost too good to be true. She had a momentary thought of sadness. She would rather have seen New York at night with Ranger sitting beside her.

Shaking off her sadness, she smiled. This was an adventure and she loved adventure.

"Thank you Charles for your suggestion. I would love to see the lights but can I let you know when I leave?"

Charles nodded and spoke.

"I await your instructions, mi'lady."

She noticed a coffee carafe and travel cups in the basket by her left knee. There were a few Boston crème donuts in individual carry out cellophane packages. Stephanie's mouth watered. She had raced through her morning routine and had not stopped for breakfast.

She prepared to pour a cup of coffee looking for creamers and sugars. As the delicious smelling liquid flowed out of the small opening; she noted that it was already a creamy mocha color. Taking a chance, she took a tiny sip. A smile peeked out. Somebody had relayed how she liked her coffee.

She looked at Charles and he grinned at her with a twinkle in his eye. This was going to be fun!

The drive was smooth and without incident and she just had time to finish two cups of coffee and inhale a donut when she noticed the car slowing and turning into a reserved space in front of a building.

Stephanie pulled out a compact mirror and quickly checked for crumbs on the side of her mouth. She opened her lip gloss and gave a quick swipe.

The car stopped and waiting to open the back door was a gentleman standing on the sidewalk.

Charles stayed in his seat as a hand reached in to assist her to alight.

"Good morning, Ms. Plum. It is a pleasure to see you. I hope your flight was without incident?"

Stephanie recognized the voice from yesterday.

"Thank you Mr. Hammond. It was very smooth. I am not the calmest passenger on a plane, but the pilot made the trip as relaxing as he could."

Rodney Hammond waited until the limo pulled away before he guided her to the people standing and waiting just inside the door.

"May I introduce some of my staff."

He gestured to a woman and she stepped forward.

"This beautiful lady is Miranda LaRose. She is my trusted personal assistant and will be assisting you with your wardrobe changes."

He gestured to another.

"This beautiful lady is in charge of footwear and purses. Her name is Latifa Gordon."

Rodney proceeded to guide her to an elevator waiting open. The two of them stepped in and he pressed a key fob in his hand. The elevator door closed and it rose smoothly up the elevator shaft.

They stepped out and the view from the floor to ceiling windows was magnificent.

Rodney stood back and watched as Stephanie walked closer to the windows and looked down. She could see the entire street from her vantage point. The road was busy with the hustle and bustle of mid-morning traffic and she could see the shoppers with bags already scurrying from store to store.

He smiled to himself. Many people chose not to come anywhere near the edge of the room to look out. He could tell that she was certainly not afraid of heights and the look on her face made him smile. This Stephanie Plum who Ella had phoned him about had such a vibrant aura of life swirling around her. He could feel her excitement rising. He was looking forward to experiencing one of those days that would stick in his memory forever. He hoped that he would be able to make Ms. Plum remember this day for quite some time.

Stephanie took a deep breath and turned to Rodney. Her eyes were dancing with excitement and she was almost quivering with glee.

He spoke.

"Ms Plum..."

Stephanie put up her hand and Rodney stopped in confusion.

Stephanie smiled as she spoke. "I suspect that this might be a long and tiring day for us both. Would it be possible for you to call me by my given name, Stephanie or Steph?"

Rodney nodded his head in assent.

"I would be honored if you would call me by my first name also. I go by Rodney or just plain old Rod, if you wish."

They both smiled.

He gestured to her to head to a number of easy chairs at the far end of the room. There was a rack that was empty near a bank of tall three-sided mirrors.

Rodney waited for her to pick a chair. He pressed a button on his phone and immediately one of the ladies entered through a closed door on the right. She was pulling a rack that looked very interesting.

Rodney walked over to the rack that was now standing by the empty rack.

"I have chosen a number of different kinds of clothes for you to peruse and try on, Steph. I have the schedule of the events at the conference and we are looking at a number of wardrobe changes. I have been involved with outfitting both attendees and presenters to the Forbes Women's Summit for a number of years and I can tell you now that we are looking at something chic but elegant in an understated way for the registration and appetizer get-together, a formal outfit for the cocktails and opening address for the evening on the 14th, something less formal if you go out later, possibly four changes on the 15th if you are invited to the after dinner celebrations, and enough outfits for least one possibly two days after that to meet with business contacts."

He smiled to himself as he saw Stephanie look at the rack of clothes in surprise. He had correctly assumed that she would probably have dressed for the evening address, the same outfit for the morning and afternoon sessions and then change into something again more formal for the evening. He could tell that she had no idea that the real meetings were held after the Summit. It was his job to enlarge her society base on the inner workings of a world-class conference.

Stephanie thought about the conference. She was looking at between three to five days at three to four outfits a day? Her mind was reeling.

Rodney started again.

"Since it will be the middle of May, we need to find apparel that looks crisp, spring-like but not too cool that you will feel chilled, yet stunning and befitting the aura you want to display showing that you truly belong at the conference."

He took an outfit off the rack.

"I chose this because the first day, everyone is looking around and gauging why they are here and who they are here with. This is where name-dropping and posturing will come in. This outfit would be suitable for the registration and the appetizer get-together."

He held up a spring dress, with a jacket. It was quite flowery, yet it had an understated elegance about it. Unfortunately, it was in a color that Stephanie was not fond of and she instantly unconsciously wrinkled her nose.

Rodney was watching for first impressions. He knew the style would be stunning on her but color was everything. Ella had been quite insistent that he be careful of her skin tones and complexion when choosing his first looks. She had sent him a few pictures of her in different outfits, from her Rangeman uniform to blue jeans and tops to a few with her in formal gowns. Her figure was stunning and as a fashion dresser, he was promising himself that she would look lovely in everything that was chosen today.

He did not hesitate and put the outfit on the empty rack.

Rodney showed her more and more outfits, and they soon had a number to be tried on, or discarded for whatever reason. Rodney listened as she explained her dislikes or likes as the case may be. She was the one wearing the clothes and he wanted her feeling good about the choices.

Rodney murmured some words to his assistant and she left the room. As they were going through the first rack, another lady brought in another rack full of more outfits to look at. Stephanie looked at Rod but he just smiled and continued to show her more choices.

Finally they had come to the end of the racks and Rodney took her hand, helping her to stand. He led her to the room on the left.

"Now comes the fun part, Steph. We get to try on what we have chosen so far."

Stephanie had relaxed enough that she was able to joke.

"So, WE are trying on the clothes, Rod? Are WE the same size?"

He had the grace to look a little embarrassed at the remark, and Stephanie giggled.

"I have a very good friend who I love dearly and hope you two have a chance to meet the next time I am in town. I think you would like him."

With that, she gave him a kiss on the cheek and headed into the change room, with an assistant pushing the heavy rack of clothing after her.

Rodney took an excited breath in spite of himself.

Stephanie sat in the easy chair, feeling like a damp dish rag. She had tried on outfit after outfit, then again with various footwear. They had stopped for a quick catered lunch and feeling more comfortable in each others presence had started to kid even more.

Stephanie had such an easy-going attitude to her that the entire staff had taken an instant liking to the young woman. They had been patient and gentle in explaining all the little things that they had picked up over the years in the fashion industry dressing celebrities and wanna-be celebrities for experiences such as this.

Miranda had contacted Charles and he would be there shortly. Stephanie looked at her watch. She had been at Halston Heritage for over six hours trying on clothes, then choosing footwear and hand bags and clutch accessories.

Rodney had also suggested two hair salons and after consulting with him she had chosen his favorite. Miranda had taken on the job of booking her hair appointments for the conference.

She sat and pondered her day. It had been very, very exciting but she felt almost the need for a quick nap. Stephanie wanted to see New York by evening, but at the same time, she would have preferred to see it with Ranger. She also wanted to try the restaurant in The London, knowing that Gordon Ramsay owned it and acted as head chef when he was in town. She had watched him on tv with his show 'Kitchen Nightmares' and thought it might be interesting to see if he was like that in real life.

Rod came into the room. He could see how tired she was but there was also a very satisfied look on her face. She had chosen her outfits very well. She knew what she liked and he had been quick to ensure that what she wore during the conference would look very good and make her feel good at the same time. He gave a little credit to himself for her success.

Taking her hand, he escorted her to the elevator for the ride down to the entrance. His staff had been waiting by the elevator door to bid her farewell and she thanked them all for their assistance.

The limo was waiting as the elevator door opened and Charles was standing by the back door waiting for her to walk out before he opened the door.

Rod stopped her at the door.

"Please give Ella my love. She probably never mentioned that I was a foster child and she and Luis took me in during a really bad time in my life. I learned so much from them and count them as the parents I never had. I miss them dearly and am excited to see them any time they come to New York."

Stephanie put her hand on Rod's arm.

"I love Ella and Luis. I have joked on a number of occasions that I would love it if they adopted me. I cannot thank you enough for all the help that you and your staff gave me in choosing my clothing for the conference next month, Rod. I will try to do you proud and if anyone asks me I will send you any business I can."

She smiled at them all, then reached up and as she gave Rod a peck on the cheek, she whispered in his ear.

"I texted a picture of Hector to your phone when you left it unattended. I believe you would like him and I know his tastes in dates."

She wiped a bit of lipstick off his cheek and headed for the car.

Charles opened the door and she slid in.

He closed the door and walked around to the driver's door, slid in and pulled away.

Stephanie leaned back.

She felt someone take her hand and she jumped.

"Babe."

**OK, fine. I will post one tomorrow, because I know someone would have said "Please'.**

**We all know how far Trenton is from New York and it seems silly to fly, but be patient, readers, next chapter you will see why.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you for all the reviews. For those who reviewed as Guest, thank you for taking the time to post.**

Chapter 5

Ranger, Tank, Les and Bobby were busy as Stephanie flew to New York. James would be flying back later to pick them up along with some specialty gear from Rangeman Trenton and take them to New York. Nobody had let Stephanie know that they would also be in town and Ranger wanted to surprise her.

They had meetings booked with the organizers of the summit, and were then meeting with the team they had selected to help with security. The summit was less than a month away and there were a lot of things to arrange and check before it began.

They were pulling Hector in for the event and he was rushing to get Denver up and running before May. That would give the new office time to work out the bugs and get things working to their unique needs. The Core Team were still deciding on the XO for that branch, but right now Miquel from Miami was the front runner. He had served with Ranger and had come on board and helped as a demolition expert on the team. He had worked out of Rangeman Miami for a number of years but wanted a change of local. He wanted to teach his family how to ski and the climate in Colorado was somewhat cooler. He was serving as temporary XO until it could be finalized.

After James dropped off Stephanie, he left New York and continued on to New Haven, picked up a prisoner and the escorts then flew back to Trenton. Ranger had put the plan together to fly all the interested parties on the same day. Not that he worried about the flight expenses per se but utilizing James and the plane to such an efficient level and working like clockwork made the whole experience worthwhile from a business point of view. James had enough hours left in his log to safely carry out all the trips and he had leapt at the chance to get his hands on the yoke. When he was not flying, he was based out of Rangeman Boston. They had a hanger at the airport and so far it had been an excellent business decision to purchase the plane.

The men sat in the vehicle as they watched James fly in. The Rangeman vehicle would then be used to transport the FTA that Jesus and Jacob were escorting back to Trenton.

Jonas Johnson was a wily criminal who had slipped through their fingers a number of times. Rangeman had finally received a tip from a jilted girlfriend that he was hiding out in New Haven, Connecticut, working at a car wash. Jesus and Jacob had flown in commercially and tracked him down but Rangeman liked to use private transportation to transport prisoners due to ease of transporting a prisoner under restraint. It seemed that all the pieces were falling into place.

James taxied to a stop and watched from his pilot's seat as Jonas was unshackled and led to the waiting vehicle for a trip to the Trenton Police Station. Vinnie had already been advised and he had visibly heaved a sigh of relief. It had been a big bond to him and the thought that he would be at a loss having to explain to his father-in-law, Harry why he had lost him, was now just a bad memory.

James watched as the four men carrying boxes of supplies, briefcases and their duffel's that they had unloaded from the SUV climbed the steps into the plane and piled the supplies in the back, securing them. He busied himself with the controls and once again prepared to leave.

Les moved up to the cockpit area and sat in the co-pilot's seat, putting on some headphones. He was checked out on the Gulfstream G100, and hoped that James could be convinced to turn over the controls to him so he could get in some flying time too. It probably meant that he would be paying for supper, but it was worth it. Les loved to fly and tried to get his hands on the yoke anytime he was in the air.

They flew to the little airport outside New York and once again taxied to the private apron where Stephanie had debarked a few short hours ago. Ranger and Bobby unloaded the plane and Tank and Les helped James to secure the plane for the night. Once again the limo was waiting and the men, including James and all the boxes, cases and duffels squeezed into the back seat for the ride to their open suites at Rangeman.

Charles dropped them off with their gear. The plan was that Ranger would join them tomorrow and stay in his apartment after Stephanie left.

Charles continued on with Ranger in the back seat and he was talking to him through the open Plexiglas window.

"I mentioned that the lights of New York at night are spectacular and she seemed excited to see them, but I could see a touch of sadness in her eyes. I hope it is because she thought that she would like to see it with you."

Ranger smiled. He had hoped that they could spend some time together tonight too. He knew that she would probably be tired but he hoped that the mention of dinner at The London and then a scenic drive through town would be agreeable to her. Just in case he still had his duffel in the trunk in case she asked him to stay overnight.

"Thanks Digger for everything. I hope you did not let on that you knew us."

Charles smiled.

He had been a member of Ranger's team a number of years ago, but due to a combat injury had to retire from the Rangers. He had spent months in the VA hospital recovering from his wounds and unfortunately due to intermittent numbness would never be able to walk any amount of distance ever again. He had taken a job as a taxi driver, and Ranger had happened upon him one day when he took a cab from the airport.

Ranger had invited him to Rangeman in New York and had offered him a solution to hopefully both their problems. Rangeman needed the flexibility of a car service fairly frequently for visits and business dignitaries in town. Charles was looking for something to put his name on as an owner. They had hammered out an agreement.

Rangeman would float Charles Butler money to start up a car service and in return they would have the use of Digger and the vehicle for their use when in town. New York was no place to have a car hanging around and using up valuable parking spaces and so far it was working well. The underground garage at Rangeman was much smaller than other branches and every vehicle was in heavy demand at all times.

Charles had his customers and would fit in any Rangeman requests around his own business. Besides that, he could drive them around and then shoot the shit with the men when they were in town.

He pulled up to the front door of Halston Heritage in the reserved space out front. He looked at Ranger sitting in the dark corner in the back of the limo. It looked like he wanted to surprise Stephanie.

Charles slid out from behind the wheel of the car and stood by the door waiting for her to emerge from the shop. She was escorted by Mr. Hammond, who had greeted her that morning.

Charles could see by the set of her shoulders and her face that she had had a tiring day and he wondered how she would react to Ranger hiding in the back seat.

He opened the door and waited patiently for her to walk the short distance. He observed as she gave her host a kiss on the cheek. Charles could see him visibly blush, and his eyes light up as she whispered something in his ear.

She practically danced to the car and climbed in.

Charles closed the door and walked around to the driver's side just in time to hear Stephanie practically shriek as Ranger said, "Babe".

He closed the privacy glass and smoothly pulled away. He planned on taking the very long way back to the hotel. He figured that they would never notice.

~~~o0o~~~

There was a conference call. Everything was slotting into place and the operatives were embedded in their cover jobs. It was time to let everyone calm down and wait. They had time to smooth any troubled waters.

~~~o0o~~~

Ranger grabbed Stephanie to keep her from leaping off the seat of the limo. He pulled her over to him and lifted her onto his lap, and proceeded to gently nibble on her ear.

"That was very mean this morning, Babe. Just for that, I followed you here to keep an eye on you and see if you are willing to put your money where your sweet little mouth is."

He continued to nibble on the bottom of her ear, then moved down and gave a kiss all the way down her jawline to her chin, then moved up to kiss her gently on the lips. His hands had begun to explore under and around and then stopped at the tie of the wrap around dress. He began to pull inch by agonizing inch the tie until it was almost ready to open.

Stephanie put her hand on his and stopped him.

"Ranger, we are in a limo, driving around New York City with a man named Charles driving. We are NOT going to do what you think we are going to do! Ranger, if we ever got stopped, besides being very embarrassed, I think it might be illegal! Besides that and I hate to admit it, but I need a bath to relax some very sore muscles. I had no idea that trying on this many outfits would be sooo tiring."

She spoke again.

"Can you stay with me tonight, please?"

He laid her head back against his chest and breathed in the scent of her hair shampoo. She sighed in contentment as she relaxed in his arms.

"I was hoping you would ask me, Babe. Just in case, I have my duffel in the trunk."

They sat like that all the way to the hotel and Ranger hit the intercom button.

"We have your cell phone number and will call with our evening plans should we need your services."

Charles parked and stayed in the car. The uniformed doorman strode to the back passenger door and opened it, viewing two people in the back sitting close together. He touched his hat in a salute and put his white-gloved hand out to assist the lady to disembark.

Ranger exited the car and placing his hand on the small of Stephanie's back, escorted her into the lobby of the hotel.

The doorman could both see and hear the trunk being opened remotely and snapped his fingers, bringing out a porter with a rolling carrier for the luggage. The porter placed the suitcase, computer bag and the duffel on the cart and pushed the cart into the hotel.

Ranger strode to the desk and the concierge was waiting.

"Reservation for Manoso."

He handed over his credit card for verification and took the two key cards, passing one to Stephanie, and then they led the porter to the elevator which was sitting open.

Ranger pressed the button for the 47th floor and the elevator swiftly headed upwards.

The porter stopped at the door behind both Ranger and Stephanie and patiently waited for Ranger to open the door with his card.

He followed them with his hands full of the luggage, placing it just inside the door. He palmed the tip, touched his thumb and fore finger to the rim of his cap, thanked them then exited the suite.

Stephanie stood in the entranceway and could just feel her mouth gape open. The windows looked out onto the New York skyline and in the early evening dusk it looked absolutely splendid. She remembered that Charles had said that New York at night was something to see. She took Ranger's hand and they walked closer to the windows to view the sight.

There was a knock and Ranger left Stephanie's side to stride over to the door. He looked through the peephole then turned the handle and opened the door.

There was another porter with a garment bag hanging on a luggage rack. He handed Ranger a note and waited.

Ranger beckoned Stephanie over to the door.

"This is for you, Babe," he said as he received the bag and once again tipped the porter.

He closed the door and watched as Stephanie opened the embossed envelope and slipped a card out. She read the message to Ranger.

"Thank you for such a delightful day at Halston Heritage, Steph. New York is meant to be appreciated by a night on the town and it is our pleasure to provide you with this dress and accessories to see and take advantage of our beautiful city. We have reserved your driver for the rest of the evening courtesy of our company. At the same time, we have also taken the liberty of booking an all-expense-paid meal for you and a guest at Le Bernardin with a reservation for 9:00 tonight.

I and my staff add that it was such a pleasure to assist you and we are will be excited to hear your name mentioned at the Forbes Women's Summit as an up and coming businesswoman of excellence."

Rod had signed his name at the bottom of the card, and another business card with his private phone number printed with his full name and the embossed trademark of Halston Heritage in the corner fell out of the envelope.

Stephanie leaned against Ranger and he hugged her to him. Ranger pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed a number.

"Bring my dress suit in the blue bag to me at The London, room 4707 as soon as possible."

Stephanie had taken the bag and laid it on the king-sized bed. She carefully pulled down the zipper and gasped as she looked at the contents.

Rod had sent her a dress she had not tried on, but it was stunning. It was a sapphire blue halter-style full-length gown with a slit cut up the side. Inside were matching shoes and a clutch. There was a jewelers box in the bottom of the bag and she opened it looking at a dainty necklace and earrings.

Stephanie looked at Ranger and her eyes started to tear up. He took her in his arms and gave her a hug.

She mumbled into his chest.

"It is so pretty, Ranger. It is also way too much. Do you even know how much the bill was today? I don't make that much in two months!"

Ranger tipped her chin up so he could look in her eyes.

"You deserve everything you purchased today, Babe. They could obviously see your beauty and by the look of that dress, they wanted you to have fun tonight."

He looked at his watch. They had just over three hours before the reservation.

"How about you have a bath and relax those tired muscles and I will wait for my suit to arrive. It should not be too long. I have the driver's number and will co-ordinate with him when we should leave."

Giving her a soft kiss he gently turned her around and headed her to the bathroom. He could hear her exclaim how beautiful the bathroom was and then squeal in excitement at the sight of the gigantic tub.

He saw her close the door and heard the water turn on. He could imagine her pouring in enough bath gel to make a mountain of bubbles. He was ready to phone again and tell Rangeman to hurry up with his suit. He wanted to join her as soon as possible.

He pulled out his phone again and pressed a number. Digger answered and they spoke about timing. Ranger hung up and continued to wait. He looked at his watch again. Stephanie had started to hum as she lay in the bubbles.

There was a knock at the door and Ranger quickly headed there and opened it. A third porter was standing there with a blue garment bag hanging on a luggage rack. Thanking him and once again tipping him for his service he took the bag and also laid it on the bed, opening it and making sure everything was there. He carefully picked up both garment bags and hung them in the closet.

He then walked to the bathroom door and turned the handle.

Stephanie was sitting in a gigantic tub and the bath bubbles were shifting and popping gently as she moved. Her hair was piled on top of her head using a scrunchie and she was leaning back with her head against the tub edge on a fluffy folded towel.

Ranger made short work of undressing and he slipped in behind his Babe, causing her to smile as she moved forward then leaned back against him.

She looked relaxed as she leaned against her man. He caressed her neck with his lips, kissing just behind her ear. Her hair was up and he had complete access to her neck and her other ear, and down to her shoulder. His kisses and nips were gentle and she was wriggling as if he were tickling. His hands wandered and he reached around her caressing her breasts, then pinching them slightly. His hands moved lower and lower still. She started to moan slightly in his ear and her back arched.

Stephanie pulled the plug with her big toe and she stood up. She was covered in bath bubbles and looked absolutely breathtaking as she reached her hand down to him.

They stepped out of the tub and wiped the bubbles off then wrapping the towels around themselves they walked out of the bathroom, hand in hand.

Ranger guided his Babe to the side of the king-sized bed and proceeded to unwrap the towel from around her. She untucked the towel from around his waist and slowly inched lower the towel from around his waist to over his hips, then let it drop slowly to the floor.

Ranger picked her up by putting his hands under her cheeks and gently placed her on the bed, climbing on one knee then another. He looked at her with her hair still piled on top of her head, tousled but sexy as hell.

He began to kiss her starting at one sexy ankle then moved up, kiss by gentle kiss. Stephanie had her hands fisted in the sheets as he moved upward, steadily upward. She tried to reach for him but he changed directions and then kissed back down the other side. Once again he moved upwards, this time with his hands caressing and gently massaging. Stephanie put her hands on his abs and she was softly rubbing them back and forth, her nails making light pink marks as she caressed, moving ever so slowly.

She was starting to pant slightly and her moans were getting more vocal. Ranger reached down and softly caressed her then putting two fingers in between her folds he pumped his fingers slowly then speeding up.

Stephanie moaned again and cried, "Take me now, Ranger, take me now."

He moved up over her body and slid in, waiting for her to adjust to him before he continued.

Their lips found each other as they moved in unison. They tumbled over the edge together and held each other as the waves of emotion subsided.

Stephanie woke up to Ranger's kisses. She smiled a sleepy but completely relaxed smile at him then looked at the alarm clock he was holding in his hand.

She practically shrieked in his ear as she realized the time. She would need to move and move fast if she was to be ready in time for the reservation.

Practically kneeing him in her haste, she jumped out of bed and grabbing her make-up bag, dashed into the bathroom. Ranger chuckled at the sight of the back of his Babe as she slammed the door to the bathroom closed in her haste to start getting ready.

He flipped the covers off himself and climbed out of bed. He thought about joining her in the shower, but time was beginning to become an issue and instead, he walked over to the closet for his suit.

The shower was turned off and he waited for a few precious minutes before knocking and walking in, taking his turn alone. When he emerged, Stephanie was sitting at the make-up table wrapped in another bath sheet and was brushing her hair with the hair dryer in the other hand and her assortment of lotions and make up in front of her.

He headed out of the room with his towel slung lazily over his hips with a smirk that he could practically feel her eyes following him through the mirror out the door.

He was dressed by the time she emerged and she took a quick breath to attempt to calm her hormones. He was dressed in a black Armani suit, complete with black shirt and tie and black dress shoes. He looked absolutely like the successful business person he was.

Stephanie carefully stepped into her new dress. She looked down and slipped on one delicate shoe then the other. She knew shoes and could recognize a Jimmy Choo when she saw them and once again grimaced at the obvious cost of the entire outfit.

She looked in the full-length mirror for a last check and Ranger stepped to her side. They looked at each other in the reflection.

Ranger's phone beeped. Charles was outside.

Looking at her reflection one more time, Stephanie reached for her clutch and placed a lip gloss and a tissue along with the key card in it and prepared to leave the room.

Walking down the hall to the elevator, Ranger had his hand resting lightly on the small of her back, marveling at the backless design of his beauty. He firmly believed that she would be commanding a great deal of attention this evening, and although he felt a touch of jealousy that he was sharing her for a few short hours, she deserved every accolade.

The elevator rode smoothly to the main floor and as they stepped out, a number of guests looked at the stunning couple emerging. Ranger did not notice the women eyeing him, but he was very, very cognizant of the men eyeing her.

They walked to the front entrance and the doorman on duty opened it for them. Charles was waiting and the doorman opened the back door to the limo and assisted Stephanie into the vehicle. Ranger followed and the door closed with a small click.

Charles waited for them to get comfortable then the intercom came on.

"Good evening. The restaurant is only a few blocks away, but they asked me to delay our arrival by a few minutes due to some delays in front of their parking lane."

With that, Charles guided the limo into traffic and smoothly drove along, giving a running commentary of the buildings on each side and some history of the area. They could both hear the beep of his phone and without missing a beat he changed direction and drove back the way he came.

Charles slid to a gentle stop and waited. The back door was opened once again and Ranger stepped out, then gave his hand as Stephanie stretched one leg out of the interior, then another. There were whispers from curious onlookers as she stepped out of the car, but taking no notice, she put her hand on Ranger's arm, and they moved to the door.

The Maitre'd was waiting.

"Welcome to Le Bernardin, Monsieur Manoso. Your table is waiting."

With that, he signaled and a waiter led them to a table for two in a small alcove overlooking the newly renovated main floor.

The waiter waited as Ranger seated Stephanie then chose a chair with his back to the wall. He accepted the wine list. Making his choice, he spoke in French to the waiter who smoothly acknowledged the order and moved away.

Ranger looked at Stephanie as she curiously looked around. She had heard rave reviews of the restaurant and tried to not stare as Vinnie had described taking Lucille here for lunch once. He had complained that all they served was fish, fish, fish; spoke to him in a foreign language and the portion that he had received that had cost way too much in his opinion left him hungry. He had crowed that he had stopped at McDonalds later to fill up.

The waiter brought the wine Ranger had chosen to the table and uncorked it, letting Ranger smell and taste it for his approval then watched as he poured a glass for her, then re-filled the glass for Ranger to exactly the same height. He had put it in an ice bucket at the side of the table and disappeared.

Ranger picked up his glass and saluted Stephanie.

"To a beautiful lady who dropped everything to help me once again."

**I will post another chapter on Monday. Sunday is usually a day for fun and family, but we get to rebuild a fence in our yard blown down by a recent windstorm. Yippee!(not!)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Once again let me say that JE owns these wonderful characters. **

Chapter 6

Ranger looked at his Babe as he lifted his glass and toasted her.

She had changed so very much from when he had first met her. She was insecure, impetuous, and sometimes brash, but now, well...

He saw sitting in front of him a very secure, well aware, stunningly beautiful woman who was going to go places. Her whole demeanor had taken a complete jump in confidence knowing that she had finally succeeded in convincing herself that she could move in the world of business.

And yet, he could see that sparkle of life that only Stephanie could portray, a look of curiosity, of wonder and of love.

He mentally sat back.

She did not NEED him to be successful. She was successful in her own way. She could talk and walk with anybody now and besides feeling comfortable in the setting, she could make someone else comfortable by her.

He looked at his own life.

He was successful because he had muscled his way into that way of life. He could be ruthless when required, or demanding if need be. He commanded respect where he moved, but it was because his reputation had preceded him. He could give orders and inflict punishment, but he had always felt that he continually needed to dictate his parameters to continue to be the best of the best.

It was a sobering though.

He shook off his thoughts. Tonight was her night and she deserved everything he could give her.

They made light conversation as they chatted. She spoke of how helpful Rod and his staff had been on little hints and suggestions. She talked about the clothes she had chosen and how she had felt driving around in a limo. She spoke of how nice her driver, Charles was and how he had put her at ease, especially with the coffee and Boston crème donuts to start her day.

She stopped talking and her face scrunched up into that cute expression when she was thinking about something.

"Ranger, why are you really in New York? I saw the mountain of work on your desk, and while I love that you are here, there must be something important to take you away from Trenton on such short notice."

Ranger looked amused by the question. He was wondering when she would figure it out.

"Babe; Tank, Bobby, Les and I are in New York setting up the security for next month. We flew down this afternoon after you were at Halston. James dropped you off, then flew to New Haven to pick up an FTA, then back to Trenton to drop him off, then we all flew back here. The others are staying in the Rangeman building and I will join them tomorrow after seeing you off."

She looked pleased then thoughtful.

"Ranger, while this has been a fun day and I look forward to tonight," and she gave him a sexy smile, "I am not really sure how much help I will be at the conference. I anticipate a large number of influential women sharing ideas and success stories. Unless there is something underlying there, I cannot see where there might be a problem. I did a search of all the other Summits and nothing was ever said about security breaches or issues."

She looked at him in all seriousness.

"Ranger, I trust your information and certainly your opinion, but I really don't think I will be of much use here."

Ranger slid his chair around the table and took Stephanie's hand in his.

"Babe, first of all, tonight I am Carlos. I want this to be a special night and if we can keep away from the topic of the Summit, I want to romance you, and take care of you, and love you until you leave tomorrow."

She drew in her breath. It sounded like he was wanting to take their relationship a step closer than ever before and she could see the cliff edge just ahead. Was she ready, was he ready, were they ready?

She relaxed in his presence near her. His commanding demeanor put her at ease and she felt safe and protected. She could almost feel his protective aura surround her. That was what drew her to him more than anything. He let her choose what she wanted in her life and he stood by protecting and guiding as needed.

They chatted and sipped their wine. The appetizers Carlos had ordered arrived and he pointed out each one, asking her to put aside her doubts and taste each one with a fresh mind. He saw her looking with trepidation at the selections and he whispered in her ear.

"Close your eyes, Babe. I want you to trust me to feed you something that you will enjoy. Letting your other senses guide you will open up your world to something new and you might actually like it.

Trusting him she closed her eyes and waited. He took a small piece and put it to her lips. She opened her mouth and gently took it from his fingers.

It tasty somewhat salty and almost stringy but after getting past that, she thought it was delicious.

He watched her as her facial features changed.

Carlos put the water goblet to her lips to take a sip, then he gently took a napkin and dabbed at the side of her mouth.

Next he put something else on a spoon to her mouth and she obediently opened her mouth. She received a small taste on the edge of her tongue. She tried to chew it but there was nothing to chew and she swallowed it regretfully. It almost felt like tapioca.

Next Carlos put what felt like a shell to her mouth and she sucked in the oyster. She had tried those on a dare in college but this tasted so good. Her smile confirmed it. Last but not least Carlos put a tiny piece of fish on her tongue. Once again, she had been introduced to this in college, but it had been overcooked and was tough.

She opened her eyes and smiled at her man. It had been such an enjoyable experience and she vowed to try it again.

In front of him was an appetizer plate with the calamari, caviar, oysters and scallops placed temptingly on a large plate.

Stephanie looked at Carlos.

"That was probably the best fish I have ever tasted."

They tried each one again together and she proclaimed it the best way to sample something new.

Carlos had ordered her main meal for her and the waiter arrived with the plates. He had ordered her the red snapper with steamed asparagus and he had ordered the blackened bass with mixed sampled each other's meal and giggled at something or nothing as they enjoyed each other's company.

Carlos looked at his watch.

"Charles is outside waiting for us, Babe. Would you like to take that trip around New York before we head back to the hotel?"

He waited for her to decide. She was starting to look weary but the instantaneous sparkle in her eyes and obvious excitement gave him his answer.

He caught the eye of their waiter and began to pull out his wallet.

The waiter held up his hand.

"No, No, Monsieur. The bill and the accompanying gratuity has been accounted for. I hope your meal was satisfactory?"

Carlos and Stephanie nodded at the same time.

"Thank you for such an exquisite meal. Please pass on our compliments to the chef."

Carlos opened his phone and pressed a button, then hung up.

He held his hand out to assist Stephanie to her feet and they walked with her hand resting lightly on Carlos's arm to the front door.

Their limo was waiting and the doorman opened the car door. Carlos helped to hand her into the back then climbed in and the doorman closed the door with a click.

The car pulled smoothly onto the main road and they settled in the back. There was a bottle of wine chilling in the ice bucket and two glasses sitting on a little tray beside it.

Charles took a meandering drive through the streets of New York, then headed out to Manhattan. He had the privacy window closed. He had observed them sampling the wine and then leaning against each other, they pointed out the sights as the light shone on what he believed was the most beautiful skyline in the world.

Charles received a beep on the intercom and headed to the hotel. It had been a long day and he would be glad to head home.

He smoothly braked to a stop in front of The London and a doorman strode to the car. He opened the door and observed the lady sleeping on the shoulder of the male passenger.

Carlos climbed out and then reached in and scooped his Babe up and carried her into the hotel. An elevator stood open and pressing the button, it rose swiftly to the requested floor.

Carlos walked into the room and carefully lay his Babe on the bed. He strode to her suitcase and pulled out her sleep attire, smiling to himself as he found one of his black t-shirts. It looked relatively new, and he wondered how many more she had filched.

Stephanie stirred as he knelt and began to take off one beautiful shoe then another.

"Thank you for such a wonderful evening, Carlos. I need to get out of this beautiful dress and I really need to pee."

Carlos laughed and helped her to her feet.

Taking the shirt and a thong she headed for the bathroom.

Carlos was standing by the window looking at the night skyline as she emerged. She stood by him and they looked out, feeling comfortable in each other's company without speaking.

Carlos visibly shook himself. They both had long days ahead of them and sleep was starting to become an issue.

He headed to the washroom and when he returned Stephanie was already in bed.

He undressed, placing his clothing on a chair and climbed in. Pulling his Babe to him, they fell asleep in each others arms.


	7. Chapter 7

**While I would love to ask Janet Evanovich why she could not give these amazing characters some character, I thank her for allowing us to play in her world.**

Chapter 7

Stephanie woke up completely splayed over the chest of Ranger. She listened to his slow, comforting heartbeat against her ear, felt his rock-hard abs against her ribs, and his morning wood against her thigh.

She turned her head and noticed his chocolate-brown eyes smiling at her. He put his hand on top of her back and slowly moved his fingers up and down her back, then slowly started to make circles. His other hand moved toward her and she sucked in her breath as it started to meander down her body, settling over her ass.

She wriggled in anticipation of his next move.

Carlos smiled at her and then flipped her over onto her back, with him now perched over her. He was resting his weight on his forearms and he started to kiss her starting at her lips, then slowly moving down.

She could feel the goosebumps rise as he moved lower and lower.

He gently pushed her legs apart with a knee, then crawled upwards, placing his tip at her entrance. He pushed himself in and started to slowly thrust back and forth.

Her fingernails raked down his back and he sucked in his breath as he continued his attack.

Her moans turned to pleading and he moved faster and faster, taking her over the edge with a final thrust.

Carlos rolled back over and pulled her to him. She lay there feeling sated but boneless.

He played with a curl of her hair as they both began to bring their breathing under control.

She looked at him and her face saddened. Once again she was leaving him and heading off for another Open House and hours and hours of meetings and contract negotiations and above all else, loneliness.

He noticed her mood change and he pulled her to him for a comforting hug.

Carlos knew now how Stephanie felt every time he had left on a mission. He knew that her danger level was so much lower than his had ever been, but the fact that she was out of his eyesight and sometimes far away made the days and more importantly the nights so much harder. They tried to phone each other when they could but the fact that they were both busy people made communication sometimes difficult to arrange.

He looked at his watch, then he looked at his Babe and sighed. They would have to make preparations to leave soon.

He pulled the hotel phone to him and dialed, ordering Room Service for two.

Stephanie carefully exited the bed then dashed for the bathroom. He heard the toilet flush and the shower turn on.

Room Service said they would be about forty minutes and he was going to take every minute to try to satisfy his woman until the next time they saw each other.

Stephanie walked out of the bathroom wrapped in a bath sheet and Carlos walked out with a towel slung over his hips and tucked in in the front and they both headed for their packed clothes.

Stephanie was scheduled for a meeting with the owner of a newly purchased ranch outside of Lexington so dressed with her usual care.

Ranger put on his Rangeman uniform of cargoes and black t-shirt. He would change back at Rangeman into more business attire as the security meeting was booked for later in the day.

Charles beeped that he would be at the hotel in approximately half an hour and they were ready.

They took their bags to the elevator and headed down to leave. Ranger stopped at the desk and thanked them for their prompt service and authorized the final bill.

They walked to the front door in time to see Charles pull up and pop the trunk open. Ranger dumped in the two bags gently laying the two garment bags on top. The doorman opened the back door, assisting Stephanie to slide in and Ranger followed. He tipped his hat and closed the door and Charles pulled away.

The ride to the airport was made in silence. Unfortunately leaving each other for their jobs was becoming more and more common and they sat in the back holding hands and leaning into each other, breathing in each others' scents and relishing a few precious minutes more time together.

Charles pulled up to the plane and James was standing by the steps.

Once again the trunk popped open and Charles slid out, taking Stephanie's suitcase out of the trunk and handing it to James to store.

He stood by the steps talking and waiting for them to alight, sensing that their farewell to each other needed no audience.

Ranger opened the door and stepped out, then held his hand for Stephanie to grasp as she emerged.

They hugged each other one more time and a soft kiss on the lips was all the emotion that the two men saw.

Stephanie stepped to the stairs and gave both Charles and James a slightly watery smile then climbed the steps into the plane carrying her purse and her computer bag.

James shook Charles' hand then Ranger's and climbed the steps. He pushed the button retracting the steps then closed and locked the door.

They watched as the engines spun faster and faster and the plane began to taxi away.

Stephanie watched out the window as the plane began to move. She raised her fingers to her lips and blew him a kiss, then put her hand on the window.

They watched as the Gulfstream taxied to the edge of the runway, then gaining speed, raced down the runway and smoothly lifted into the air.

Once again, his Babe was gone.

~~~o0o~~~

Ella was about ready to tear her hair out. Lula had begged her to babysit the twins for just an hour, but what an hour.

So far, they had pulled the coffee table over on themselves trapping them both under the heavy top. JP had tried to eat one of her prized hyacinths, and TR had found all her pots and pans in the kitchen and was pulling them out.

She was contemplating picking them up and taking them to a holding cell but stilled her efforts. She was out of practice on babysitting, but two at once was still quite the handful.

She sighed a breath of relief as Lula knocked on the door.

She had been to the doctor and Tank could not look after them as he was out of town. The housekeeper was grocery shopping and the nanny was on holidays.

Ella watched as Lula rounded up the boys. She seemed to have eyes in the back of her head as she accepted a cup of coffee from Ella and sat down on the couch.

Lula had brought a bag of things to amuse the boys and they were eagerly trying to delve into it. Lula looked so comfortable in such a short period of time. She had all the patience in the world when it came to her boys.

Lula looked at Ella and Ella could just guess at the subject she was about to broach.

"Did you have any time to talk to Stephanie this time when she was in town? I really miss her and it seemed like she had to leave a lot sooner than she planned. I spoke to Edna and she also mentioned that usually she spends some time with both her family and her nieces."

Ella shook her head. She had come to appreciate any time that they could stop and have a cup of coffee. She loved to see how Stephanie was changing each and every time she stopped in.

She could see that Stephanie was starting to blossom with new-found confidence with her ability to manage a busy business. Unfortunately she was also experiencing the loneliness that constant travel and frequent periods of absence was starting to erode on their relationship. Ranger was slowing down his missions and she was ramping up on hers. Ella figured that soon it would become a ships-in-the-night kind of scenario unless they could co-ordinate it.

Lula picked up her boys and prepared to leave.

"Thanks for looking after them, Ella. If I really need you, can I call on you again?"

Ella took a look at Lula's posture. There was something wrong but Lula was not elaborating. She figured that the trip to the doctor was related and Tank needed to know first. She silently crossed her fingers and hoped it was not bad news.

"Of course you can. If I can handle a whole building of grown men acting like little boys some days, I can handle two little boys wanting to get into trouble like grown men."

She smiled and gave Lula and the boys a hug and walked them to the door.

Lula walked out with the diaper bag, toy bag and her purse wedged in around the two boys in her arms.

Ella headed to the kitchen. When she was upset or worried, she baked, and she figured that she better get ready. She suspected that she might be doing a lot of baking before long.

~~~o0o~~~

Ranger stepped into the main reception area at Rangeman New York. It was set up much differently than any other branch. New York was such a different scenario. The attitude was different, and the men working there were so much more animated. New York marched to a much different beat believing that as a whole New Yorkers were more confident of themselves in the business world. They believed that they were the only ones capable of putting on something such as the Forbes Women's Summit and the success rate could possibly substantiate that.

Ranger jogged up the stairs to five. He wanted to see what was sitting on his desk before meeting with the men prior to the planning meeting across town. He wanted to know if there had been any more chatter. He wanted to know the current threat levels in a city with all the major financial institutions that were always ripe for attack.

Nine eleven had been a wake-up call for literally every corner of the country dwelling on what could happen at any given moment.

It was not just the security, but the ease that something as catastrophic as that could bring a city to its knees.

It was also the optimism that New Yorkers had been blessed with that the city and the country had bounced back as fast and as strong as it had. They would continue to mourn that fateful day, but many lessons had been learned. They were not alone.

~~~o0o~~~

There was another phone call. This one was between two conspirators only.

"God has smiled on us today."

The connection was broken without anything else being said.


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you once again for the thought-provoking reviews. Yes, Janet, I know I cannot keep them, but maybe they might take a side trip on the way home.**

Chapter 8

Tank was in the meeting with the organizers of the Forbes Women's Summit. He was having trouble concentrating and Ranger kept looking at him.

Finally, he gave up and signaled that he needed to leave the room. Ranger's eyes followed him out the door. He would be checking on him later. Tank was almost as committed to staying on track as Ranger so something was certainly up.

Tank took out his phone as he closed the door softly. He walked to the men's washroom and checking to see that it was empty pressed the button on the phone he rang whenever he was delayed or away from home.

He waited, unconsciously counting the rings. Once, twice, three times. At four it would go to voice mail and could only mean that Lula was driving, or unable to answer because of the boys.

At four rings, it went to the voice mail. He listened for her voice to kick in.

"This is Lula. I'mma busy right now with the babies. Leave a message and I will get back to you. And if it's my Tankie on the line, I love you."

Tank smiled. She changed the message almost everyday and he spoke.

"Hey Lula Belle, love you back. I am just checking to see how you are coping with everything. We have made enough progress that we hope to be back in Trenton tomorrow. Call me when you have a minute."

He hung up and walked back into the meeting, putting his phone back on vibrate.

He nodded at Ranger and took his place, immersing himself back into the meeting details.

The meeting ended and everyone stood around chatting and becoming more relaxed around each other. There would be a number of meetings scheduled closer to the Summit and while there was a lot of work to be done before then, it was now relaxed and almost friendly.

Tank's phone vibrated and he once again excused himself. He walked to a secluded area of the hall and picked up. He knew that it would be Lula on the line. Everyone had been told to hold all calls but she had never been given that order.

Tank leaned against the wall as he answered.

"Lula Belle, baby, I am missing you and we have only been gone overnight."

Lula spoke to her man.

"Tankie Bear, the boys are missing you and look at the door waiting for you to come in. I miss you too and I can't wait to have you holding me."

Tank's brow furrowed. Lula sounded off. Putting aside the fact that she was basically looking after the boys by herself for a few days while the nanny took some time off, she sounded sad and confused, and almost...concerned.

"Lula, is there a problem I should know about?" said Tank, cutting right to the chase. He was a no-nonsense kind of guy and believed in taking matters on straight ahead.

Lula whispered into the phone.

"I miss you and the boys miss you. I recognize that you have to go out of town now and then, but it is times like this that I miss your arms around me holding me and whispering all those things you do in my ear."

Tank slowly stood straight.

"Our meetings went better than expected and we hope to get home tomorrow fairly early. We are ferrying up an SUV for storage and I hope to be walking into our house while the boys are taking their naps. I think a nap for Mommy and Daddy would sound good too, what do you think, Baby?"

Lula purred into the phone.

"I love to nap with you, Tankie Bear, so have a really good and restful sleep because I want our nap to be memorable."

Tank unconsciously adjusted himself. His woman would be the death of him.

The rest of the team were looking his way, preparing to move out so he wrapped up his call.

"Talk to you soon, Lula. The guys want to leave and they think that I should be the one buying dinner tonight which means that I need to go with them. If I sent my credit card along, we would be eaten out of house and home and they would order the most expensive things on the menu, twice!"

Lula laughed. She too loved the Rangeman buddies.

Saying their goodbye's quickly they hung up.

Les and Bobby were making kissy noises at each other and Ranger lifted both his hands and bonked their heads together making them cry out in pain.

"Got to be aware of your surroundings, muchachos," he said.

They walked out to the limo waiting for them and climbed in.

~~~o0o~~~

Stephanie sunk into the hotel chair and sighed. She had a signed contract for a complete outfitting of a new operation and while she was pleased at the result, it had been long and arduous.

She hated people who had too much money yet when dealing had taken the attitude that she should be grateful for the business. She felt a bit sorry for the staff down in the barns and predicted that there would be a complete change-out of staff in the near future.

Opening her laptop, Stephanie began to place the orders. She was being paid to rush everything and making some quick notes, completed her purchase requests in short order.

Her shoes lay abandoned in the middle of the floor and her handbag was laying open on the bed. Her suitcase was still standing by the door and she really wanted to have a long, relaxing bath. Unfortunately she would be taking one alone, again.

Her mind, and hormones remembered the luxurious bathtub in The London and who she had shared it with. It almost seemed like forever since she had had his hands caressing her, and the mountain of bubbles wiggling suggestively as they relaxed.

Stephanie stood up. Instead of a bath, she was feeling the need for a shower, a long, hot and needed shower. Unfortunately, her phone rang at that moment and she spent the next hour talking business.

She sat at the small table in her room eating her Room Service meal. This was turning into a ritual whenever she was away. A tear made its way down her cheek and she furiously wiped it away. If Ranger phoned he would know instantly that something was wrong and she did not need him to worry. She had chosen this as a job and while she loved most aspects of it, after leaving Ranger her emotions were somewhat fragile. She chastised herself and her need to grow up. She had a job to do and so did he.

Stephanie finished her meal and put away her laptop. She pulled the suitcase over to the suitcase stand and lifted it onto the stand and opened it.

Inside, sitting on top was a card and under it, a nice new black t-shirt. Ranger had somehow sneaked both into her bag when she was not looking. She smiled to herself. He had somehow managed to do that every trip she had made for months. She watched her suitcase from the time she locked it in her condo to when she left and he always managed to somehow slide it in.

She picked up the envelope and slid the card out of it. He had written another note in his bold, strong handwriting and she sat on the edge of the bed to read it.

'_Babe. I now understand how hard it was for you to see me leave on missions and try to continue day by day. I think of you constantly and hope you are safe and well. Please be careful and listen to your spidey senses. I am only a phone call away.'_

_C_

Stephanie started to sniffle as she carefully put the card back in the envelope. She would add it to every one else she had received.

Picking up the t-shirt, she put it to her nose and gave a sniff. It was new, but it had that soft feel that it had been washed a few times. His body wash scent was evident but in a subtle way.

Stephanie took her shower and put the shirt over her head, feeling better.

She had just climbed into bed when her phone rang with the Batman theme song, and she picked it up and pressed the button.

Ranger had been surreptitiously checking his watch. Kentucky and New York were in the same time zone so he would not be disturbing her during her meetings, he hoped. He wondered if this potential customer was wining and dining her as so many others had. He clenched his fist as he thought of his Babe. He was the jealous kind of man and unfortunately thought the worst of others. She was a beautiful person, both inside and out and he firmly wanted to believe that she was his.

On the other side of the coin, calling himself a man of action and few words, he was not that confident in telling her verbally, but he tried to make up for it in gestures, and presents and assistance. He had told her in the past that his love did not come with a ring. He had been burned by his first marriage and the pain of standing up in front of man and God declaring his allegiance to the woman standing beside him burned into his heart and head and he truly believed that he never wanted to ever do that again. He had been told he was a sick man and didn't know what to do about it.

Ranger pulled out his phone and this time his thumb pressed the button. He waited for her to answer knowing that if she was still in her meeting that she would let it go to voice mail and she would phone later.

The phone engaged and his Babe was on the line.

"Hi, Ranger," came the voice of his angel. "It took some doing but I have the signed contract in front of me. He wanted a rush order so I have just finished placing it."

He could tell by her voice that it had been a difficult negotiation. She spoke again.

"I continue to be absolutely blown away how money can make some people so demanding. He is tossing out all the equipment in the stables and is ordering new. Has he no idea how hard it is to work in new leather? His stable employees will be very busy trying to get it soft enough to work easily enough not to chaff the horses."

Ranger chuckled to himself. She was worrying about how hard they would be working so that the stock would not suffer. His Babe was one for the books.

He spoke.

"We wrapped up our meetings early and will drive home later tomorrow. I think Les and Bobby have taken off into town and I don't expect to see them before workout tomorrow morning. Tank is in his room, probably on the phone with Lula. He is worrying that she will be overwhelmed looking after the boys since Marjorie is away. Just bad timing both he and she are away at the same time."

They sat and chatted on the phone, talking about how much fun it had been in New York.

Ranger could hear Stephanie try to cover up a yawn with her other hand and he quickly began to wrap up the call.

"I will let you go Babe. You are in the same hotel for a couple more days, right?"

Stephanie tried to quell another yawn but they were getting the best of her.

"Yeah, I am here for two or three more days. I wanted to check in with a couple more ranchers in the area. They wanted me to stop in the next time I was here, so I will see what their schedules are like then move on. I want to be in Louisville by Friday."

Ranger sighed.

"Sending you a good night kiss your way, Babe. Missing you."

Stephanie nodded her head.

"Missing you too, Ranger. Thank you for the shirt and the card. I was watching and missed you putting it in again!"

Ranger chuckled.

"It's called distraction, Babe. I distracted you and slipped it in."

They said their good-byes and hung up. Sleep did not come easily for either of them that night.

~~~o0o~~~

Lula woke up in the middle of the night. The pain had returned.


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you once again for your reviews. Some think that I left you a cliffie. Me?**

Chapter 9

Lula woke up very, very stiff. She could hear the boys moving around in their cribs and prepared to get up and attend to their needs. She flipped the covers off and tried to swing her legs over the edge. Her back hurt to move and she grimaced in pain.

She stopped as another pain racked through her body.

Lula tried to shift in bed and that's when she saw the bottom sheet under her was red, blood red.

Lula reached as far as she could and pressed the intercom and Amanda picked up.

"Amanda, I need your help now!."

Amanda raced up the stairs and headed to the master bedroom. Lula had not elaborated if one of the boys needed help or if she did.

She walked into the bedroom and stopped in horror. Lula was crumpled on the floor in a fetal position and she was now crying in pain.

She rushed over to her. She saw the state of the bed and gulped. Lula was gasping and tear streaks were flowing down her cheeks. She was gripping her stomach area and writhing back and forth.

Amanda picked up the phone by the bed and dialed 911, and explained the emergency. The operator wanted her to stay on the line but she said she had to phone her employer's work to alert the husband and needed to put down her phone for just a minute and use another. She picked up Lula's cell phone on the night table and pressed the number to Tank's direct line but it went to voice mail immediately signalling that he was on the phone.

She did not leave a message but hung up and then called Rangeman. Vince was on the phones and noticing that it came from Lula's cell he picked up immediately.

"Rangeman, Vince speaking."

Amanda barely let him finish the sentence before she started to speak.

"Vince, this is Amanda. I need to talk to Tank. I tried his phone but it went directly to voice mail. Can you get hold of him for me?"

He could hear the distress in her voice.

"Amanda, how can we help?"

Amanda responded with a tremor in her voice.

"I have called 911 for Lula. I found her crumpled on the floor and the bed is covered in blood. I will look after the boys, but I do need some help. I can't lift heavy objects right now and they are too heavy for me to carry around."

Vince kept his voice calm as Amanda began to show signs of falling apart on the phone. He immediately signaled Woody on the other monitor to come over and quickly he wrote a note.

"Amanda, my partner is phoning Tank right now but until we get hold of him, I want you to stay on the line with me. I am sending a vehicle and two men from Rangeman. They are just a couple blocks away and will be there in just a minute or so. They have the codes and can let themselves in and help with the emergency personnel."

Amanda had a phone to each ear and spoke.

"I am on the house phone to the 911 operator and I have you on Lula's cell."

Vince was pantomiming to Woody that she was on two phones.

Woody nodded and grabbed a phone. The monitors sat unattended as they worked.

Woody signaled to Vince that he had Tank on the phone and he nodded.

"Amanda, I have Tank on the line so I'm putting you on hold for just a minute while we get the two of you talking to each other."

Tank was on his phone and Vince quickly explained.

"I am patching Amanda onto you, Tank. Something is wrong with Lula and Amanda has called in a 911. I have a unit heading there to assist as needed. I have checked with Boston and James just lifted off to pick up a captured FTA for Boston."

Vince put Amanda on the line and he hung up.

There was an uncomfortable silence on the floor. The news had spread like wild-fire.

Ranger phoned the control room direct line and once again Vince picked it up.

"Control."

Ranger spoke.

"I told him to change his flight plan and divert to pick us up. He will contact you with an ETA. Have two vehicles at the airport waiting, one for Tank and Bobby to head to the hospital and the other one for Les and I. Arrange a police escort for Tank and Bobby."

Vince was writing down all the instructions and Woody was looking over his shoulder. He had motioned and Binkie was now on the other monitor, keeping an eye on everything while they processed the emergency.

Woody had a phone to his ear and was making the arrangements with TPD. He then made a notation who was still out on the road, who was at Tank's house and who was available for picking up the men.

It was one of those hurry up and wait scenarios. Everything had been done and now it was time to wait.

~~~o0o~~~

Stephanie was on her way to one of the rancher's spreads when she got a call on her cellphone. It rang with the batman signal and she pulled over to the side of the road to answer it. Ranger never called unless there was something important during the day and she immediately had a bad feeling.

Stephanie pushed the button and spoke.

"Ranger, you never call during the day unless it is important so what's wrong? Is Grandma Mazur OK, has something happened to my parents, my nieces, my sister, Mary Lou?"

Her questions came so fast that Ranger couldn't get a word in edgewise. He waited for her to take a breath, then said, "BABE!".

She stopped talking and waited for him to speak.

Ranger did not hesitate and spoke. "Babe, your family is OK, but unfortunately, something is wrong with Lula."

Ranger hesitated.

He hated to let her know there was a problem but knew that if he waited until later tonight that she would be upset that he had held something back that she wanted to or needed to know.

"Babe, we are on the way back to Trenton. Lula is in the hospital but until we get there, we have no idea what is wrong. Tank had a feeling yesterday that something was up with her but she didn't pass on anything, but she woke up this morning bleeding very heavily. The housekeeper called 911 and she is at St. Luke's now. Ella has gone over to help at the house and I have enlisted Mary-Lou to work on a schedule to help with the boys since Amanda cannot lift them or carry them around."

Stephanie put a shaking hand through her hair. Lula had mentioned that after her boys were born that her periods were quite heavy and she would be watching to see if it improved.

Stephanie felt bad. She had made tentative plans to visit her on her day off but with the change in plans and the Summit she had had to fore go her time with Lula and go to New York for the fittings. Now she was feeling very sorry that she hadn't.

"I can fly back to Newark tonight if you need me Ranger. Most things I am doing before next weekend's show can be moved."

Ranger thought about it.

"Babe, until we know what's going on, this is just to advise you. As soon as I know I'll let you know but you might as well stay where you are but keep your phone handy. It could be as simple as a simple problem or it could be as serious as," and he hesitated, "something serious."

Stephanie nodded her head. She was imagining all sorts of terrible things that could be happening, but she had had her own scares in the past and until there was a diagnosis, it was a time just to wait and worry.

"Let me know Ranger. I cannot promise that I will be giving my complete attention to my appointments today now, and I will call you for an update when I get back into my hotel room. Hopefully it is minor and we all can relax, but if it is not..." and she stopped.

Ranger spoke again.

"I'll let you know, Babe, as much as I can find out. Until then, be safe," and he hung up.

Stephanie sat shaking on the side of the road, her phone still in her hand. She put the phone back in her purse and pulled back into traffic continuing on her way. Her mind would have difficulty keeping on task today, and deep down she hoped that the calls she was going to would only be courtesy calls.

For the first time ever, she hoped that what she sold, wouldn't be required today.

~~~o0o~~~

A Rangeman vehicle stood ready as the four men hastily threw their belongings and office papers into their duffels and briefcases and raced down the stairs. It had taken off heading to the airport to wait for James and the plane. The men were at the airport waiting as the Gulfstream landed and taxied over. The engines never stopped spinning and they were already on board as soon as James opened the door and dropped the steps. They had all thrown their gear inside the cabin not waiting to take the time to stash them in the hold.

James revved the engines and they inserted themselves into line to take off. He had punched up the speed knowing that Ranger wanted him there as soon as he could safely fly. He took off smoothly and turned toward Trenton.

Two SUV's were sitting at the airport and a police car sat waiting to escort.

Tank was standing by the exit as the plane slowed down. He opened the door and jumped out of the plane without dropping the steps and leaped into the first SUV. Bobby was right behind him.

Maurice was behind the wheel and sped away following the police car with his lights and siren operating.

Ranger and Les gathered up all the bags, and hastily assembled office materials and made their way to the second vehicle.

They too headed for the hospital, but Caesar kept the speed somewhat within reason. They walked into the emergency department and were directed to a waiting room.

Tank and Bobby were nowhere to be seen. Bobby's face was well known at the hospital and he would be able to talk his way into the right area and talk to the right person.

Ranger and Les settled in to wait.

~~~o0o~~~

As Les sat in the waiting room he refreshed what he had gleaned from an interesting bit of chatter while in New York and vowed to follow up on it as soon as he could.

One of the organizers had an obscure but interesting background and while she was very open with most of her life, one detail had been kept very, very quiet.

Les loved to dig for dirt; he was just wired that way. He mentally starting to work which contacts he could suck for this tidbit.

Les smiled as he lit on a name.

~~~o0o~~~

Stephanie sat in her hotel with her phone in her hand. She had flipped it open a number of times to check with Ranger, but each time had closed the lid without dialing. She had made plans to fly back to Newark and was now waiting in the hotel reception area for her cab with her bags. Not knowing if she could help, she wanted to be there for her friend, even just to give her a hug and lend her support if the news was bad.

Earlier she had met with Gordon Fergusson and while he had been happy to see her, could also notice that her mind was not on the meeting. Finally, after asking her the same question three times with no reply, he put his hand on her arm and asked.

"Stephanie, you are obviously under stress from something. Can I help?"

Stephanie shook herself and looked in his kind eyes.

"I just received a phone call that is concerning just as I pulled up to your ranch. A very good friend is in the hospital and until they find out what is wrong, I am sorry that my mind will not be on my business. If it's OK, Gordon, I'll just drive back to my hotel and see if I can find out some more information."

He nodded his head in sympathy.

"If you want to use my phone, you can save some time if you need to book a flight back to Newark, and maybe you can get back sooner than sitting and waiting, then deciding to fly back."

Stephanie smiled for the first real time since walking into his house and gave him a quick hug.

"Thank you, Gordon for your kind offer. Maybe I can help, or maybe I can just head in to lend my moral support. She is a new mother of twin boys and I am sure that everyone is scrambling to look after them."

Gordon showed her to his office and after sitting her down in his comfy office chair, left the room, closing the door softly.

He stood by the door and could hear her on the phone, talking and listening, then talking again. He heard the cordless phone click down on the desk and waited for her to walk out the door. He waited, then realized that he could hear her blowing her nose and hiccuping softly.

Gordon waited for her to compose herself. He had been through enough hardship in his own life and could recognize someone trying to put themselves back together to face the world after bad news.

The door opened and Stephanie emerged. Her eyes were red rimmed and her nose had that tell-tale look of someone blowing their nose numerous times.

He stepped up to her and enveloped her in a hug and she put her head on his shoulder and started to weep again.

He let her cry. She would be in no condition to drive right now and he had already made the decision to drive her back to her hotel and have his car with a driver follow.

Stephanie began to pull herself together. She pulled out of his comforting embrace and looked sadly at him.

"I want to get back to Newark. There is a flight leaving from Lexington at 8:15 pm and I have booked a ticket on it. I spoke to the husband and they are conducting tests trying to find the problem."

Gordon took her hand and led her to her purse and coat sitting on a chair by the front door.

"I will arrange for your car to be brought around and I will drive you back to your hotel. You can drop the car off there and still have time to get to the airport in time."

Stephanie sniffled again. Here was a customer going the extra mile to help her.

She smiled and walked with him to the front entranceway, trusting that he would get her back to the hotel safely.

~~~o0o~~~

Tank walked into the waiting room and slumped down in the chair beside Ranger. His facial color was off, almost pale and he moved as though he was shaky, something few people had ever observed of Tank.

He put his elbows on his knees and leaned forward with his head in his hands.

Ranger waited for him to pull himself together. Anybody else and he would have slapped them on the back and said that it would get better, but dealing with Lula, well, she had had enough scares in her life that if she consented to go to a hospital, it must be serious.

Tank shuddered then sat up. He looked at Ranger and Les watching him, waiting for some information.

Just then Bobby walked in. He stroke over to Tank and slapped him on the back and spoke.

"I can tell that Tank has been his usual verbose self, so I will explain it as much as I can."

He looked at Tank as he spoke.

"They suspect that Lula is suffering from fibroids. Unfortunately they are bleeding quite heavily and while they were able to slow the flow, she has lost a fair amount of blood. She is receiving some medication right now and should feel better soon. From the sounds of it her last period just a few days ago was extremely heavy, even more so than normal and they have been unusually heavy since she had the boys. She is quite anemic and that was probably one of the reasons she has been feeling so tired lately. They will be performing a couple more procedures to pinpoint the problem later after giving her a chance to rest. If it is indeed fibroids, the doctors are hoping that with some medication and a simple procedure she should be back on her feet soon. Failing that, she will be on complete bed rest and may as a last resort require a hysterectomy."

The men sat and digested the information. It sounded like this was not going to be a short term problem but could drag out for awhile.

They all were thinking of the Summit in less than a month, and already in his mind Ranger had taken Tank off the detail, needing him to stay close to Lula in Trenton.

"Your first concern is Lula, Tank. I am taking you off the Summit detail and depending on what happens how long you go on leave."

Tank nodded. He was needed at home. His boys needed him and his wife certainly needed him.

He looked at Ranger.

"I want to be there but I just cannot with what is going on right now. My Lula Belle is everything and I want to be with her as she faces whatever is ahead."

Ranger nodded, thinking who he could insert on the team. Tank was one of those almost irreplaceable kind of men. He could sense things that needed to be done almost before they knew it themselves. He would be missed.

A nurse came to the door.

"Mr. Sherman, I believe your wife requires your presence. She has had some pain medication but is really restless. I think she is worried about something, but won't confide in us. Hopefully she will tell you."

Tank stood up and headed for the door, then turned around.

"I have a feeling that Stephanie will show up. She has a spidey sense about a lot of things and if she knows that Lula is having difficulties, I wouldn't be surprised to see her race in here. Just in case, I would be checking the flight arrivals from Lexington, Ranger."

With that, he walked out the door and down the hall to Lula's room. Rangeman had instituted guards on the door protecting her and Tank.

He walked in and as the door closed, the men could hear very plainly.

"I'm here Lula Belle and I'm not leaving your side until we both leave the hospital together."


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you to Janet Evanovich for these amazing characters. We make no money from this and all mistakes are mine.**

Chapter 10

Stephanie stepped through the arrival doors in Newark. It was after midnight and her flight had taken just over three hours. She felt grubby and tired, and concerned. She grabbed her suitcase from the carousal and prepared to head for the taxi stand. She was not aware of her surroundings and literally ran into a black-shirted muscular chest.

"I got you Babe," came a voice she recognized even in her sleep.

Stephanie looked up at Ranger as he continued to hold her from literally falling over.

Her sense of relief showed on her face and she dropped the handle of the suitcase and gave him a hug. She had not phoned to advise him, believing that he would either still be at the hospital or back at Rangeman. It was so late.

"How did you know that I would be on that flight Ranger?" came the soft inquiry.

Ranger continued to envelope her in his arms. He had already missed her and had just seen her. Looking back it seemed so very long ago.

"I had a feeling that you would come back. I took a look at all the flights and guessed that you would be on this one, Babe. All the others had much longer flight times and stops. Taking into consideration all you would need to sign out of your hotel, and give back the car, it seemed that this flight was the logical choice."

He chose not to mention that he had also phoned Hector and he had hacked into the system and had found her name on the flight manifest. Some things were best left secret.

Ranger could see her aching to ask how Lula was but afraid to broach the subject and he took a bit of pity on her.

"Lula has been given some pain medication and probably is sleeping right now. Tank is in the room with her. The babies are all safe at home with a bevy of assistants helping Amanda since she cannot lift them right now. Marjorie is due back in a couple of days so everyone is jumping in and assisting."

He purposefully did not elaborate on Lula's condition and Stephanie did not ask. She planned on being up at the hospital first thing in the morning after getting some rest. It had been a long day.

She pushed against Ranger and gaining some space between them looked up at him.

"Can I crash at your place tonight, Ranger? I'm dead on my feet."

Ranger pulled her back against his chest with his arms circling her again. He gave her a kiss on the top of her head and spoke into her hair.

"Babe, it will be such a hardship to have you stay on seven, but I'll allow you to sleep in my bed tonight."

He chuckled as she tried to swat him on his arm, but he had wrapped her closely to him and she could not get free. She contented herself with his remark one day that one side of the bed was hers and hers only!

He put her suitcase and computer bag in the trunk of the Turbo and assisted her as she sat in the passenger seat, putting her seatbelt over her and giving her a soft kiss on her lips as he backed away. He could tell that she was very weary and worrying about her friend had taken a lot out of her. He would not be surprised if she worried about all the possible scenarios on the flight home, and all the possible reasons that Lula had fallen ill, going from the most minor to the absolute worst major options. Notwithstanding the fact that she was never comfortable in the air, he surmised that she was probably past the exhaustion phase and was running on adrenaline only.

He elaborated a bit.

"I left before they finished all the tests, but Bobby says they think it is a fibroid that is causing all the pain. They're letting her rest tonight and will be performing some additional tests tomorrow."

He continued.

"Bobby explained that while fibroids in women are not unusual, being that Lula is African American the chances are considerably higher than normal. There are a number of kinds of fibroids and it looks like they are narrowing down what it is. They hope that a simple procedure will help, but unfortunately they're not completely ruling out a worst case scenario of a hysterectomy at this stage. We'll just have to wait and see what happens and what they recommend."

Stephanie sighed. Mary Lou had had a bleeding fibroid and it had been difficult to diagnose. She had been experiencing lower back pain and a general achiness for days but hadn't complained thinking she strained herself picking up one of her boys. Unfortunately she had waited too long and a hysterectomy became the only option, putting the hope for a little girl to add to their family gone forever.

~~~o0o~~~

Stephanie woke up splayed over Ranger. He was watching her with his beautiful chocolate eyes that were becoming darker by the minute as his desire grew.

She nuzzled her cheek against his stubbly chin and moved up to just under his ear. Her lips gently bit down on his earlobe as he began to fondle her.

His morning wood twitched with anticipation.

Stephanie stepped out of the shower and began to attempt to brush her hair into some kind of submission. She blamed Carlos for her look this morning, but they both had that special smile reserved for each other.

Stephanie could hear Ella in the kitchen delivering their breakfast and she hurried to complete her morning ritual. She needed to get to the hospital to see Lula before she headed off to more tests.

Ranger drove her in the Turbo. He waited outside the room as she opened the door and quietly walked in. Tank emerged and they headed for the waiting room to give the girls some privacy.

Tank sat with his head in his hands. He looked and felt like he had run a 14 mile Ranger obstacle course with a full pack, all the while being shot at, rained on, and shouted at.

Ranger sat quietly letting him gather himself. He recognized all the times he had been at Stephanie's side during her trips to the hospital and patiently gave him the time to collect himself to be strong once again as he continued to be by Lula's side.

Ranger was holding a small duffel full of clean clothes and handed it to Tank.

Tank looked at it and smiled at the ironic similarities between he and Ranger watching over their women.

He spoke.

"Lula needs to get some strength back but they are hoping to do surgery arthroscopically. Unfortunately, I could see in the surgeon's eyes that he is guarded in his assessment whether this will help or not. He explained to us that as Lula is African American and overweight, the incidence is much higher in this group. He explained that there are various fibroids, most requiring only medication and rest, but this one is a significant challenge.

If it does not stop the bleeding, she will require a hysterectomy. While we have the boys, she's worried that she is letting me if she is unable to conceive more children. I have tried to explain that our boys are a miracle in itself and I only want what is best for her."

He looked at Ranger and a tear fell, very, very rare for Tank to show this much raw emotion.

"She told me that if she has the operation, she will feel less like a woman and worried that I will have to be satisfied with what she called half a wife!"

He leaned back in the chair and sighed.

"I tried to explain to her that she is all the woman I need and want and whatever happens, I will love her even more."

He whispered. "I'm not sure if she believed me."

Ranger put his hand on Tank's shoulder and gave it a squeeze for support.

"Stephanie is in there and those two have a special friendship, just as we do. Showing up will be very, very good for Lula and she can give her all the support and words of comfort that a woman can. If I know my Babe, she will have a swarm of friends showing up as soon as Lula can handle it."

They sat in the waiting room patiently waiting. Tank stood up as the door opened and Stephanie stepped out. Her eyes displayed her concern but she smiled at Luke and Jerry standing by the door. They too were new hires and she didn't know them very well, but they were Rangeman and that was enough for her.

Stephanie walked to the waiting room and making her way to Tank, reached out and tried to give him a hug around his waist. He hugged her back and chuckled. Her arms had not come anywhere near to wrapping around him but the thought was there. She was there for them both.

He spoke.

"Appreciate you being here, Steph. I know Lula would never ask for you to drop everything but I know that both she and I really value the gesture."

Stephanie stepped back and headed for Ranger's side. She looked at him and a tiny smile peeked out from the side of her mouth.

"I just couldn't stay there and worry. I was at a customer's ranch and instead of talking business, he gave me a hug and let me use his phone to check on flights. He drove my car with me worrying in the passenger seat back to my hotel, then headed back home in his car that an employee had followed us in.

I have managed to change some things around, but will have to leave to get ready for my first Open House of the Season in a few days. The spring racing season is about to begin and I will have to leave at some point, but I want to stay as long as I can."

She thought about her next sentence.

"Lula was pretty much out of it, but she did squeeze my hand and smiled a little. We really didn't talk but I think she knows that I am here for the both of you and will do what I can, even if it is just to sit here and be supportive. I want to help as much as I can."

Just then, a number of medical personnel arrived at Lula's door and Tank stood up. He walked to the room and followed them in.

Stephanie looked at Ranger for some idea of their next plan. Should they wait and see what was happening or leave then come back. Tests took awhile and then the results took longer to process, so it could be hours before word came down.

Ranger took her by her arm and led her out of the room and down the hall.

"Since you're here and we will have to wait for whatever comes down, why not go home and see your family? I know that you were unable to see them when we rushed you out of here. You can catch up on the Burg gossip and get some happy food at the same time.

I need to check with Mary Lou on the babysitting front. She has taken over responsibility for arranging schedules. I can see how she raised three boys so well. She kicked into supervisor mode and had help at the house almost immediately."

Ranger looked at Stephanie and chuckled.

"If Mary Lou had been in the military, she would have made a very good senior NCO."

He didn't mention that Mary Lou had threatened that both he and Stephanie would be voluntold to take a shift or two. While playing with them at the house for a bit was fun, taking responsibility for two very active, growing boys was a whole different matter. Ranger looked at Stephanie. He figured it would take them both AND Amanda AND a few prayers on the side to complete that mission.

~~~o0o~~~

Lula woke up from her latest nap. She tried not to shift because of the discomfort, but her head turned slightly and she could see Tank leaning back in his chair, sleeping.

She grimaced in spite of herself. The men and the women in the hospital were looking after her but her poor husband looked like death warmed over from the stress and the lack of sleep and the inconsistent meals he had consumed.

She had been pleased to see Stephanie standing by her bed this morning. At the same time, she felt a terrible sense of regret that she had obviously dropped whatever she had been doing wherever she had been to come back.

Lula knew that this was the start of the spring racing season and her company profits would take a nose-dive on any interruption right now. That's what made the visit so special that she would drop everything and come back.

She glanced at her man again, sensing that he was waking up and watched as his eyes opened, automatically turning to see her.

She moved her hand closer to the edge of the bed and he slipped his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze.

She longed to be back home with her little men sitting in bed with her and crawling all over, trying out their crawling skills on an uneven surface. At least one of them would manage to almost fall off the bed and it took quick hands and ever-vigilant eyes to keep them both safe.

Tank stood up and carefully reached over, giving her a gentle kiss on the lips, not touching either her or the bed in case he jostled her. His eyes gauged her pain level ready to press the button if needed. He looked at her face checking if her forehead was furrowed confirming pain but could see that she was not suffering and relaxed as he sat back down in the chair.

"Hi, Baby," he whispered. "How are you? I think that all the tests are complete now, and we are just waiting on the results."

He looked at her as her face relaxed in relief. Some of the tests had been very painful because of the constant movement from bed to stretcher to rooms for x-rays, ultrasounds and scans. She felt like a chocolate pincushion as lab techs came in wanting more and more blood, or the ever-present blood pressure equipment and thermometers being administered just as she had begun to relax after a procedure.

In her heart, she knew that there was something wrong in her body and laying there unwilling to move she was becoming more and more convinced that it was a life-changing diagnosis, whatever it would turn out to be.

She worried that she could be dying and leaving Tank to raise two very young boys on his own. She worried that she would not live to see her babies grow up to be men. She worried that Tank would cease to love her if she could not be the wife he wanted or needed. She worried that she would have some debilitating condition that kept her in a bed for a long period of time, if not forever. These days, the word Cancer was everywhere and she worried that she would waste away in front of everyone and slowly die in front of them all.

A tear made its way down her cheek.

Tank once again jumped up and put his hand to the bell, but she shook her head at him.

He looked at her. Watching Stephanie through the years he had become pretty cognizant of her emotions. She wore them on her sleeve and while she had always said that Rangemen came equipped with ESP, anyone knowing the signs could figure out her mindset.

Lula was a bit more difficult to read but he now knew her signs as well. He could visualize her worrying that she would be a burden to him, not able to raise their boys, and probably worry that he would be disappointed if she could not be the wife and lover she wanted to be.

He put his hand over hers and kept his eyes on her and spoke.

"Lula Belle, we will get through this together, what ever it is. I love you and I'll do anything to get you well again."

She squeezed his hand again. He understood her fears.

~~~o0o~~~

Stephanie was sitting at her parent's kitchen table, drinking coffee and relating why she was back in town.

Edna grimaced. She had suffered from what they called back in the 'olden days' a fallen womb and had been forced into a hysterectomy well before she and Harry were ready to stop having children. Helen had been their only child and Harry did not believe in adoption.

The Mazur women certainly had their women's issues. Edna with an early hysterectomy, Helen miscarrying anytime she was pregnant with male fetus's, Stephanie with her ovarian cysts, and if it could be called an issue, Valerie, who it seemed became pregnant any time she came into contact with a man's penis.

Stephanie looked at her watch. She needed to stop in at Rangeman to do some work. Her parent's had dial-up internet and it would take forever to do the work she needed. Besides, if she even attempted to work there, the 'helpful' comments would drive her to leave anyway.

She stood up, gave each one of them a kiss on the cheek and walked outside.

Ranger had had her car delivered to the house while she was visiting and she settled herself behind the wheel. She loved her car, new but not too new, paid for and insurance up to date. Besides that, it was now a tax deduction and she was quickly learning all the new expenses that qualified.

Stephanie pulled away just as her phone beeped with a message.

Stephanie pulled over to the side of the road a couple blocks away from the family home and opened up the text. It would not do to stop and read it anywhere on the block. Her parents phone would start to ring immediately from neighbors thinking something was amiss. They did not understand about driving distracted laws.

She smiled as she read the note. Gordon Fergusson had texted her saying he hoped that her friend was feeling better and saying that he thought she had made the right decision to fly back. He would see her at the next Open House and he already had his order in mind.

Stephanie stuffed her phone back in her bag and continued on to Rangeman, pulling up to the garage door and watching as it opened.

She parked in 'her spot', grabbed her computer bag and headed for the stairs. She had not been in the gym for a couple of days and felt the need to expend some energy.

Stephanie stepped out of the stairway and Bobby pretended to clutch his hand over his heart, all the while laughing at her. She had never taken the stairs unless chased by a skip with implements of destruction in the past and the sight of her emerging from the stairwell almost looking fresh as a daisy made him smile.

Ranger came out of his office and also gave a nod of approval with her new fitness level.

She walked to him and softly gave him a kiss on the cheek, ignoring the wolf whistles and remarks coming from the floor.

Ranger looked up at the disturbance and it became quiet almost instantly, except of course for Les, who obviously had left his brain in New York.

He shuddered when Ranger barked, "Santos, mats tomorrow, 5am."

There was one tiny snicker and Ranger squinted his eyes, looking around then smiled.

Ram was standing leaning against the door jamb between the control room and the break room holding what appeared to be a cup of coffee.

He was still dressed in his desert camo, with his pack by his feet. He looked tired, really tired.

Ranger and Stephanie walked to him and his beautiful smile lit up.

"Hey Steph, you are a sight for these very tired eyes," as he straightened up, putting down his coffee cup and pulled her into a tight hug to him. She could see that he had just returned and if she really thought about it, she thought she could almost smell pine tar.

He reached out with his right hand and shook Ranger's outstretched hand, all the while continuing to hold Stephanie to him.

Ranger's eyes changed slightly and Stephanie could almost feel Ram tense up. Fun was fun, but Ranger did not like to be messed with.

Stephanie stepped back but not before she gave Ram a kiss on his cheek.

"Thanks for the greeting Ram. I assume you just returned and I'm glad to see you."

She looked at Ranger.

"I have some work that really needs my attention. Is there a broom closet I can plug in my laptop?"

Just then, Ranger's phone rang. He looked down and stepped away. It was Tank.

"Yo".

Stephanie was watching Ranger's posture as he listened then spoke.

"Look after your family Tank. You are on leave starting now. Stephanie needs a secure place to work and I was going to let her work in your office, if that is OK."

They could see Ranger nod his head.

"Fine, man. We will be up later to see you both after Lula has had a rest."

He listened as Tank spoke.

"No, I have not heard how Mary Lou is doing with the schedule and I'm afraid to ask her. She threatened to have Steph and I take a shift."

He sighed.

"Yeah, that's what I thought too. Give Lula our love."

He hung up without saying goodbye and looked at Stephanie with a smirk as she grimaced at the apparent lack of manners.

"Saves time, Babe," he said.

Ranger looked at Ram.

"I have an assignment for you, but I need you fresh and rested. See me tomorrow."

He put his hand on Stephanie's back and guided her to Tank's office.

"Tank says to use his office and push all the papers to the side. What he really meant to tell me was to take them off his damn desk and put them back on my own damn desk."

He looked at her and she smiled. It was a poorly kept secret that the two most senior men in Rangeman had the same distaste for paperwork. They were both men of action and forcing them to remain stationary and do office work was like doling out the worst punishment.

Stephanie nodded and watched as Ranger picked up the pile of papers. She put her laptop on the top of the desk and sat in his oversized leather office chair, unconsciously relaxing in it, and faintly smelling his cologne as she invaded his personal space.

Ranger took a look at Stephanie as she settled in. She was looking so self assured now as she settled in. He had talked to Tank about her 'renting' some space in Rangeman whenever she was in town, and he was mentally creating office space for her on five. He continued to need to know she was safe and putting her office in his building ensured that she could access services if need be.

Ranger felt a tug of desire. He was feeling the need to see her more than their schedules allowed. He missed her when she was travelling, using a phone call as a poor substitute for her in person. He now knew how it felt to see her walk out of a door and temporarily out of his life as she embarked on another round of travelling for possibly weeks on end. He had kept track and it was now almost sixteen months since she had taken on her job.

He groaned to himself.

The spring racing season was ramping up and this was a busy time, although he had noticed in the past months that it was busy all the time now. That's what being a successful businessperson looked like.

Ranger walked back to his office with the handful of files in his hand. He would add them to his already full in-box.

Time passed and Ranger could hear noise coming from the break room. He brought up the camera and noticed that Stephanie had emerged from Tank's office and was checking out the fridge. She was greeting the men as they came in, and in a number of cases, kissing one on a cheek, or hugging another. He longed to drop everything and walk in on the get-together but he stayed at his desk.

Ranger looked up at the light knock on his door jamb. Stephanie was standing there with a couple bottles of water, two veggie plates and some cut up fruit on a tray.

He smiled and beckoned her in, pushing the files he was working on to one side. She put the tray down and turned to sit in the guest chair but he waved her over.

"Babe, I want you closer," and pushed his chair back.

She smiled and walked around the desk, swaying her hips suggestively. His eyes narrowed and the color changed. He looked at the open door and sighed. Damn, this woman was going to be the death of him yet!

Stephanie sat down, and wriggled. Her eyes changed and a tiny smile peeked out at the immediate effect she had on Ranger.

She leaned back against his chest and sighed.

"Ranger, I'm really worried about Lula. I just know that she is worried about her boys, and Tank, and all the terrible things that could be wrong. My heart was aching for her knowing that she was putting the worst spins on whatever could be wrong."

Ranger wrapped his arms around his Babe.

"Tank told me that they are confident they have a diagnosis and will be meeting with them both later. I told him we would stop by this afternoon so when they are ready to let us know, they will."

She picked up some celery and held it to his mouth. He took a bite, then she took a bite. Slowly the plate of vegetables disappeared and then the fruit. Their bottles of water stood empty on the desk yet they continued to sit.

Stephanie grudgingly sat up and looked at her watch.

"I have a contract coming in and I guess I need to get back to work. I can only stay for two more days, and then I really have to leave to get ready for the Open House in Louisville."

Ranger put his hands down, signifying his agreement to letting her leave their embrace. It was starting again, the leaving, the distance apart, and the loneliness.

~~~o0o~~~

Les closed his little black book where he had dug it out of his safe. It was dog eared from use, but it was also fairly old. It had taken a number of phone calls to track her down, but the smile on his face confirmed that his mission was successful.

Melanie remembered him from that time in his past. He had just made plans to meet her for drinks in a couple of days at 'their bar'. He found out that she still worked at the strip club and was now the featured dancer. He adjusted himself. She had called him by her pet name for him, Les the Lizard.

**I will send through another chapter on Monday. Have a good weekend, everyone.**

**A/N – Voluntold - our family's new made-up word. Works so well, don't you think?**

**Myrna**


	11. Chapter 11

**I apologize for the longish chapter. My muse was on a roll. **

Chapter 11

Les walked out of his office, his forehead creased in concentration.

He noticed that Stephanie was working in Tank's office and Ranger was in his. He could not get the thought out of his head that they looked good working there together.

He walked to Ranger's door and knocked, waiting for permission to enter. Under normal circumstances he barged in rarely taking his cousin by surprise, but usually making him set his mouth in annoyance. It looked bad in front of the men.

Les waited for the command to enter and walked in, closing the door behind him. Ranger pushed the papers aside. He could tell that Les was going to be imparting some nugget of information that was important to Rangeman.

He waited as Les settled himself in the guest chair with a file on his lap.

Les sighed.

"I need to leave for New York. Some of the chatter we have been receiving is starting to piece together and I need to be on-site for a couple of days."

He waited watching as Ranger digested the information. Tank was off-line but Bobby was there, so the core team was still functioning with a few members at the helm. He nodded his consent then spoke.

"Can you give me an idea what we are looking at or would you prefer to wait and give me the whole synopsis upon your return?"

Les hesitated. He shrugged his shoulders and flipped the folder over to Ranger, who opened the file and laid out the sheets of paper on his desk.

He was a quick reader and getting the gist of the file, looked up.

"He did that before he took on his new position?" How in God's name did he get past the screening and the background checks?"

Les shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.

"How the hell do I know? Dagney Moss is not known for slip-ups and their search engines are just about as good as ours, but once I heard the rumor, it popped up right away."

Ranger tapped the file with his pen as he thought. He wondered if he should pull the plug on Stephanie helping them at the conference. He wondered if he should warn her to cancel her attendance? He wondered if she would go even if he forbade her? Well, he knew the answer to that one! Of course she would go, just to mess with him and argue that she was in control of her life and could do what she wanted to, whether he liked it or not.

He thought of bringing in Bobby and letting him explain to her with his silver tongue, gently arguing that she might not be safe.

A myriad of thoughts ran through his brain as he sat there.

Les watched for some sign that Ranger was waging the battle inside his head but his face remained impassive, or actually completely blank, which made him wonder.

Les stood up. He had passed on his findings and now needed more in-depth digging.

He stood up and prepared to leave the office and Ranger spoke.

"Stephanie leaves in two days for Louisville. I need the information ASAP in case we need to shift her plans to attend. I need her safe, Les. I cannot let her get into danger."

Les could almost hear Ranger almost say, "again".

~~~o0o~~~

Stephanie was hard at work. She was arranging rental cars, hotel rooms and dinner reservations, setting in place all the larger details needed to attend such an important Open House.

Her client list had been advised that she would be in town and she was already receiving requests to meet or offers to be taken out for a drink. Her dinner reservations are filling up with more prospective clients and she was checking on some new leads.

The Derby was upcoming in a few weeks but there was a lot of racing before that. Breeders were lining up for decorative gear for the upcoming parades and her stock was starting to get picked over at the supplier.

Stephanie was looking at one request. The owner wanted a complete matching kit for ten horses for the Kentucky Derby Festival Parade. He had sent the horse sizes for her to bid on. This was a massive undertaking and would take some time to work up.

She looked at her spring fashions and mentally gauged whether she should add in a bid with outfits for both male and female riders. She marked down the different sizes and prices and moved on. The horses were much easier to quote as they were all within a hand difference in size.

Stephanie looked at her completed quote. It was one of those kind of bids that could put a real smile on an owner's face if successful. If she could snag this contract from others bidding it would ratchet up her bottom line considerably in addition to getting her name out with the big breeder operations.

She looked over her notes carefully, ensuring that she hadn't missed anything, crossed her fingers for luck and sent it away.

She looked at the time. It was almost lunch time already and her stomach was starting to give warning noises of its' need for food.

Stephanie closed down her files and stood up, stretching. That felt sooo good to move around and unconsciously she did a few deep knee bends, hamstring stretches, and shoulder rotations to loosen up. She wondered if she had any workout gear on seven and if she had time to do a fitness routine down in the gym before they left for the hospital.

She realized with a sudden thought that she had not even considered moving back to her condo for the few days she was home. Interesting.

~~~o0o~~~

Lula shifted in bed. Her pain had levelled off but she didn't want to stay on pain meds forever. She and Tank had talked after the doctor had left.

Her lunch tray sat on the table by the side of the bed, uneaten. Her appetite was at an all-time low and she was surprised at how little she wanted food right now.

Tank was sitting on the edge of the bed and once again they were holding hands.

There was a knock on the door and Ranger and Stephanie stepped in.

Ranger's face was carefully blank but Stephanie's was full of concern. She walked over to Lula and reached over and gave her a careful hug.

"Lula, I'm glad to see you awake. I have been worried sick about you ever since I got the call from Ranger and I'm glad I made the decision to come home to see you."

Tank stood up carefully from the bed and wrapped his arms around Stephanie.

"Lula gave us quite the scare, but at least we now know what we are dealing with."

He looked at Ranger and they both nodded their heads in a conspiratory nod of understanding.

Ranger walked over to Stephanie and stood by her, wrapping his arms around her as if to protect her from any bad news that Tank and Lula cared to elaborate on.

Stephanie hitched her breath in and leaned back against Ranger.

She looked at Lula and spoke.

"Lula, whatever is wrong, you will get through it. Your boys are being looked after and they have a ton of honorary uncles and aunts catering to their every need. I phoned Mary Lou and she threatened that she was ready to put Ranger and I on baby duty. I love Mary Lou and you two a ton, but subjecting those sweet little boys to our care would be cruelty to them. I don't know the first thing about taking care of a baby, let alone two!"

Lula began to laugh but stopped suddenly and her face contorted. Tank immediately began to reach for the bell but Lula put her hand up to stop him.

"I miss my little men, but they are safe where they are."

She looked at Tank and he once again slid his hand over hers.

Lula looked at them and a tear crept it's way down her cheek.

"The doctors confirmed that I have a form of bleeding fibroids. They want to operate as soon as possible. It is called a myomectomy and if it is successful we may still be able to try for another baby."

She looked at them and sniffled but bravely continued.

"I need to really get my head around it all, but we have agreed that a hysterectomy is a last resort to take. I knew he didn't cause all of it, but I don't want it to be the last thing that Ramirez took from me."

Tank leaned over to Lula and gave her a hug for support and comfort. He continued.

"They have scheduled the operation for tomorrow morning and if there are no further complications, she can go home the next day. It is going to be hard to have the boys near her because they will want hugs and for a few days Lula will be pretty sore."

Lula looked at Stephanie and Tank looked at Ranger. Ranger nodded to the door and the men prepared to leave the room. Lula was looking like she was about to cry again, and Stephanie stepped to the side of the bed and took her hand.

Ranger spoke.

"Tank and I need a cup of coffee. We'll be back."

Both girls nodded they understood and the men left the room closing the door softly behind them.

Lula began to cry even harder and Stephanie inched closer to the side of the bed. Lula patted the bed beside her and Stephanie carefully sat down.

Her tears fell down her cheeks and landed on the sheet.

"I know I need this operation, Steph but the doctors aren't real sure it'll work. I'm black, overweight, and although I know I've got sickle cell, it never gave me no problems until now. The doctor told us that I could have had these fibroids for years. It might be the best option but I'm not ready to give up on myself yet me and Tank having another baby. It may mean two operations and I am willing to go that route. While we love the boys, I just know that Tank would have loved a little girl running around in frilly dresses playing with dolls and wanting tea parties. I could see him trying to sit on a little chair, drinking pretend tea with his big finger wrapped around the handle on a tiny tea cup, and maybe even wearing a tiara or something on that big beautiful bald head."

She balled her fists at her sides.

Stephanie put one arm around the back of Lula and gave her a hug.

"Oh Lula, Tank loves you so much. You made him a father and gave him twin boys, Lula. You gave him identical twin boys from your own body, delivered naturally and without any problems. They are healthy and happy little men who will grow up with a loving mommy and daddy standing by them throughout their lives. You are making him a very happy man and whatever happens in the future, you have each other. A little girl would have been icing on the cake, but you already have the cake, Lula"

Stephanie stopped talking. Her tears were rolling down her cheeks too now and she stopped to wipe them away.

Lula spoke again and her voice was almost whispering it was so quiet.

"But, if I have the hysterectomy, my Tankie will be married to only half a woman, Steph. He married a full-bodied, black woman. What would I have to offer him then?"

Stephanie thought about it. So that was the crux of the problem.

"Lula, Tank married you with his eyes fully open that the chances of you two never having children was a real possibility after Ramirez. He knew what he was getting into. He married you for you. He married you to spend your lives together, loving each other. I am willing to bet that Tank thinks that he married the most beautiful, funny, loving woman in the world. Trust me. You found a keeper there."

They both sat on the bed, crying softly but smiling through their tears.

The men walked in and stopped in confusion. Both ladies were red-eyed and smiling as they passed the facial tissue box back and forth.

Stephanie slid off the bed carefully. She reached back over and whispered in Lula's ear, then walked to Ranger and took his hand in hers.

"It's time to go and let them have some time to themselves."

Stephanie looked back at the couple by the bed.

"We'll be back before you go up tomorrow, Lula."

On that note, Stephanie pulled Ranger to the door and opening it pulled him through, allowing the men to close the door behind them.

Tank looked at his wife.

She beckoned him to sit down on the side of the bed and he squeezed in beside her. She kissed his cheek gently and spoke.

"I want to tell you how much I love you, Pierre Sherman. I will do my best to get over this as soon as possible so that we can get our family back together again and start to lead our life the way we want to once again."

Tank cradled his wife in his arms and smiled as he gave her a kiss in her hair, just over her ear. It was a favorite spot and she wriggled a little bit in pleasure at the very personal sign of affection.

Whatever happened tomorrow it would be OK. They had each other and they had their boys. God willing, there were lots of tomorrows to look forward to.

~~~o0o~~~

Ranger was working in his office but it was taking supreme effort on his part to keep on task. Unfortunately a business as large as Rangeman had pressing deadlines and agendas that needed attention. Payroll was due, clients needed someone to answer their questions and personnel needed a strong hand at the helm.

Slowly he processed the work on his desk, keeping his mutterings of all things paper almost to himself. Tank handled the office work better. Just like his stint in the military, he was a master at reducing the paperwork load on his desk. NCO's were not just a force out in the field, but the paperwork needed to run an organization was almost overwhelming unless you had a good system.

Finally Ranger sighed and leaned back in his chair. His in-box was empty for the minute, and he felt the need to escape. He stood up, adjusted his weapons and prepared to leave.

Ranger stopped at Tank's door, watching as Stephanie grimaced at something she was reading on the laptop.

He cleared his throat and she jumped, having that startled look when one is not aware of their surroundings.

"Babe, I need to get out of the building. Did you want to go for a drive?"

Stephanie looked up then her eyes drifted to the window. It was beginning to darken and dusk was upon them.

She laughed and started to shut down the computer.

"God yes, Ranger. My eyes feels like they are crossed, my ass hurts and I need to stretch in the worst way."

Just then her stomach growled.

Ranger laughed. "Babe, I can help you with the sore ass, the exercise and the food."

He stayed in the doorway as her gaze changed.

Stephanie gathered up her purse and phone and prepared to leave for the night. Since Lula was heading up early tomorrow, she assumed that it would be sometime in the afternoon before she returned to the office.

Taking her jacket off the rack in the corner, she walked to the door where Ranger was patiently waiting.

He put his hand on the small of her back and they walked to the elevator together.

Ranger opened the car door and Stephanie slid onto the buttery soft seat of the Turbo. He reached over and helped her with her seatbelt, gently giving her a kiss before closing the door. He walked around and slid into the driver's seat, putting on his own belt. He turned the key and the powerful motor growled to life.

Ranger drove out of the garage and turned right. Stephanie leaned back and relaxed. Right meant that they were taking a drive before supper. Right meant more time in the car with Ranger and not needing to share him as they walked into a restaurant. Right meant that they could talk in peace without ears trying to listen. Right meant more time together without all the crushing deadlines that they both were experiencing.

Ranger drove to the top of the hill and turned off the car. He pulled out two granola bars and handed one to Stephanie.

She eagerly took it and ripped the wrapping off, taking a bite and chewing appreciably.

After consuming two mouthfuls, she spoke.

"I know it is their decision, but Lula wanted to try the myomectomy first. She knows going into this operation that there is a strong possibility that it will not be successful but she is unwilling to go the final route of the hysterectomy yet. Her hope is that she could give Tank a little girl to round out their family. The doctor told her to try to get pregnant as soon as she heals because they will return."

Ranger looked out at the skyline.

"Tank is so afraid that she is putting her life in danger wanting to do that. He just wants his Lula out of pain and healthy. He feels truly blessed that they have the boys and he is having trouble getting her to realize that while having another little one would be wonderful, he worries that she is putting her health at risk wanting more."

They sat looking out at Trenton at night. The lights from the office buildings shone giving a glow above the city like an aura. It was relaxing looking out over the city where they had met oh so long ago.

Stephanie's stomach growled again. Obviously tempting her stomach with the granola bar only worked for so long.

"Time to feed that beast, Babe," Ranger murmured as he started the car. He drove back down the way they came and headed to a restaurant that he and Tank had found one night while on a stakeout..

It was a little place nestled in a Mexican neighborhood. The owners worked diligently to make a success of it and Ranger had returned to it a number of times, alone.

They walked in the door and Edwardo greeted them leading them to a table in the corner where Ranger liked to sit. He could sit with his back against the wall and observe the activity in the room.

Stephanie looked around. It looked like it had been transplanted from a little town in Mexico. The walls were a soft yellow and the colorful tablecloths were bathed in those vibrant reds, yellows and blues of the Mexican culture.

She left her menu closed preferring Ranger to choose for her. He smiled and nodded as Edwardo materialized at their table with two glasses of red wine.

Edwardo and Ranger started to speak rapidly in Spanish. There was back and forth discussion and head nodding and finally they both smiled. Edwardo walked away, heading into the kitchen and placing their order with his wife, the cook.

Stephanie looked at Ranger for some idea what had transpired. She had picked up a few words, but she needed clarification on most of it.

He smiled and took her hand in his.

"Edwardo has a menu for those who like one, but if you know him, you can find out their specialty of the day. His wife is a magnificent cook and I just let her make what she feels she wants to that day. I hope you like spicy Babe, because she cooks authentic Mexican dishes."

Stephanie's mouth watered at the thought. Lately she had had more of a hankering for Mexican meals. While she loved Italian and Hungarian fare, it felt heavy in her stomach for hours. Mexican cuisine was lighter but spicy.

They sat with their hands clasped together and chatted.

Stephanie spoke. "Ranger, I will need to head off soon. I have to get to Kentucky. The Derby Festival is coming up in a little over a week and it is really an exciting time. There are parades, a marathon and concerts and the Open Houses are very well attended."

Her eyes sparkled.

"I just found out that they have what is called The Great Balloon Glow at the Exposition again this year. I missed it last year and I am hoping that I can score a ride in a balloon this year."

Ranger looked at his Babe. He kept his face firmly blanked of all expression as he spoke.

"Babe, while I am pleased for you about the possibility of a balloon ride, I would prefer that you do not book a ride on one this year."

He looked in her eyes as she mentally leaned back in frustration. Was he trying to dictate her life and telling her what she could and could not do? Did he know something that she didn't about ballooning and its dangers? Was he frustrated that she would be leaving him and participating in something she had always wanted to do knowing that he could not leave right now with Tank off?

A myriad of thoughts raced through her. She looked at him and nodded in resignation.

"I would have liked to have had your reasoning for why I shouldn't go but I know that you will tell me at another time why, Ranger. It was only a wish list kind of thing anyway, but I do want to try it, maybe with you with me?"

She squeezed his hand and changed the subject.

"I was wondering if maybe I could rent a tiny spot from you at Rangeman when I am in town? I realized today sitting in Tank's office how nice it would be to have somewhere stationary to chuck my stuff when I am in town. I miss talking to the guys. I seem to miss Ella when I am in town. Do you have a storage room or somewhere I can park? I don't need very much."

Ranger pretended to consider the request. Mentally he was pumping his fist in the air. He would have Luis start work on the room tomorrow.

"I'm sure we can find a place in our building somewhere, Babe. I will check with Luis and we will come up with something."

Edwardo picked that moment to arrive with a sizzling pan. The aroma from the ingredients was making Stephanie's mouth water and her eyes lit up with anticipation.

Edwardo placed the smoking hot dish on the wooden holder and laid a plate of warm, soft tortilla shells beside it. He bowed slightly and left them in peace once again.

Stephanie placed a soft tortilla on her plate and spooned a portion of the mixture onto it, rolling it expertly and took a bite. She moaned with pleasure as the spicy beef along with the vegetables disappeared into her mouth.

Ranger placed a large spoonful of fajitas on his plate and picking up a tortilla dipped it in the mixture then putting it to his mouth. He nodded at Edwardo standing back by the kitchen door to signify that it was acceptable. Well, it was more than acceptable but he would thank both Edwardo and his wife, Stella when they left. He watched as Stephanie finished one tortilla and reached for another. They finished the meal and sat back.

Edwardo was watching and swiftly removed their plates from the table. He looked at Ranger and Ranger nodded once.

Edwardo returned with a small plate which he placed in front of Stephanie. Her eyes lit up. It was a flan with two forks.

She stood up and moved her chair around the table to sit very close to Ranger and reached over to bring the flan closer. She picked up a fork and took a small cut into the corner then lifted it to Ranger's lips. He smiled and opened his mouth, accepting the gift. She took a small bite and both Stella and Edwardo could hear her moan from in the kitchen.

Ranger smiled as they peeked out from around the swinging door with grins on their faces.

They finished the flan and prepared to leave. Ranger walked to the front and Edwardo materialized from the kitchen. They shook hands and Ranger dropped a number of bills on the counter by the register.

He put his hand on Stephanie's back and escorted her out the door to the car. It was now very late in the evening and they wanted to be at the hospital before Lula went upstairs for her procedure.

Ranger drove into the garage and they headed up to seven in the elevator.

A somewhat quick shower together and they tumbled into bed. Unfortunately it promised to be a short night.

Ranger woke up to Stephanie splayed over top of him and the phone ringing on the bedside table beside him. He carefully slid out from under her, rolled toward the phone and picked it up.

Binkie was on the line. Ranger barked, all trace of sleep gone from his voice.

"Report."

He listened as Binkie relayed the reason for the call.

"Down in ten," then hung up without saying more and rolled out of bed.

Stephanie lifted her head and opened her eyes a crack. Ranger was already coming out of the closet with his cargoes on and his shirt in his hand. He was grabbing his weapons and sat down on the bed to put his socks on.

"Go back to sleep, Babe. There is a fire alarm at Mosley's Jewellers. The authorities are on the way but we need to secure the building after they are through."

She nodded her head and prepared to snuggle down.

Ranger spoke.

"Babe, if I'm late, I'll meet you at the hospital. Get someone to drive you over. We could be there for awhile and there is no need to have an extra vehicle sitting in the hospital parking lot."

Stephanie nodded again and her eyes closed. Ranger looked at her wondering how much she had remembered of the one-sided conversation. He mentally reminded himself to leave orders on five to have someone drive her to the hospital. He figured that she might also need a wake-up phone call. He reached over and gave a soft kiss to the top of her head then stood up again.

He walked out of the bedroom, softly closing the door behind him and headed to the hallway chair to put on his boots. He checked that he had everything and walked out of the apartment, heading for the stairwell.

Stephanie stirred then reached out to find the sheets beside her cool to the touch. She lifted her head and blearily looked around. She was laying in the middle of the king-sized bed alone. She did not hear the shower on in the bathroom nor movement out in the kitchen. Just then the phone rang by the bed and she picked it up.

Binkie was on the line.

"Morning, Steph. Ranger asked me to give you a wake-up call. He had to head out on a call and has not returned to Rangeman yet."

She thought about it for just a minute and remembered Ranger mumbling something about a fire and meeting her at the hospital. She looked at the alarm clock on the side table and gasped at the time. They had wanted to be at the hospital before seven and it was almost six.

She spoke. "Thanks Binkie," and hung up.

She jumped out of bed and raced into the bathroom doing her business and then turning on the shower. It was one of her quicker operations and dashing out with a towel wrapped around her she headed to the closet to see what she had stashed away.

Ella had obviously been filling it as there were a number of new outfits to choose from and carrying one out, she raced back into the bathroom to tame her hair into a ponytail, do her make-up and lotion up. She came out of the room dressed and prepared to head right out the door to her car.

Jed, another new hire was standing by the elevator as she reached the basement with her keys in her hand. He looked at her keys then up at her.

She blushed, remembering that he said that she should get a ride and put the keys back in her bag. He was holding a travelling mug of coffee in one hand and handed it to her.

She smiled at his thoughtfulness and took a sip. Just the way she liked it. She was wondering who had written down her favorite portions. First Charles and now Jed.

Jed pulled up at the Emergency Entrance and Stephanie prepared to hop out. Jed spoke just as she was ready to close the door.

"Stephanie, Binkie just relayed that Ranger is on his way here and will meet you in the waiting room."

Stephanie smiled and spoke.

"Thanks for the ride. I really appreciate it and the fact that you had coffee ready for me. I'll get a ride back with Ranger."

With that, she closed the door and walked into the busy entrance and the black SUV pulled away.

Stephanie headed for the waiting room and was surprised to see Tank sitting in the room. She walked to him and sat down beside him.

"I thought that you would be in there as they prepped her, Tank."

He looked at her and shook his head.

"Lula had a really bad night. Her fever spiked and they don't know why. They suspect that she's battling an infection and they have postponed the surgery. Right now, a bunch of techs are in there drawing blood and whatever else they are doing. I got told to leave for awhile while they do their thing."

Ranger walked into the room and one eyebrow raised in question. Tank repeated what he had just told Stephanie.

Ranger sat down on the other side of Tank.

"Sorry to hear that, man. I assume that it may be awhile before she can have the procedure?"

Tank nodded.

They sat there in silence as personnel went in and out.

Finally they heard footsteps coming their way and a nurse stood at the door. He looked at Tank as if questioning whether to impart the information in front of others but Tank nodded at the nurse.

"They're family . Do you have the results?"

The nurse nodded and spoke.

"The Doctor would like to talk to you in Mrs. Sherman's room. Mrs. Sherman wanted you to be there when he released the results."

They headed to the room and walked in. The doctor was standing waiting for them dressed in his surgical scrubs and he had a sheaf of papers in his hand.

"I wanted to tell Lula our results but she wanted to have you in the room while I report what we believe."

He spoke without looking at the papers.

"Lula has an infection as we suspected from the high fever. As you know, we have postponed the operation until we can knock this down. I am putting her on a powerful antibiotic and the earliest we can schedule anything is at least fourteen days from now. Lula, if you can keep mostly in bed and off your feet, I will approve you leaving tomorrow to recuperate at home."

He looked up at Tank. He was a slim wisp of a man, but he had the confidence needed to carry out his job.

Tank nodded and put out his hand to shake with the doctor.

"I know Lula misses the babies and we can set up where she has the care needed but can be more comfortable at home."

The doctor cleared his throat.

"I do want to caution you though, and I have previously discussed this with Lula. In two weeks I do not think that we will be looking at the myomectomy. I suspect that that door will have closed and we are looking at the hysterectomy."

He nodded at them and walked out of the room.

Tank pursed his lips and nodded at Ranger and Stephanie.

They looked at each other and headed for the door. There would be no operation today or anytime soon. Tank would stay with Lula and they needed some time alone together without an audience.

~~~o0o~~~

Ram stepped onto five dressed in his Rangeman uniform. He had had a restful sleep and felt like he was ready for whatever Ranger wanted him to do.

He stood by the closed door and knocked twice, stepping back and assuming a parade rest position. He waited patiently for the word, 'Enter' then opened the door and marched into the office.

Ranger was sitting working on more paperwork and he almost looked like he was scowling, but being Ranger who did not show emotion, Ram was thinking that he maybe had not had as much sleep as he thought.

Ranger waved him to sit down in the chair in front of his desk and leaned back.

"I'm sure you heard that Tank is off-line while Lula is recovering and I would like to slide you into his spot on a detail we will be working on in New York the second week of May."

He slid a file folder over to Ram and motioned him to take the time to read it.

Ram looked up at Ranger and shrugged. He was not usually tasked with a duty such as this, but as they all had been trained, one takes the detail and finishes it to a proper conclusion.

He re-read a page, put the folder on the desk, then spoke.

"I see that we are performing a cavalcade of duties for the Summit and while I will accept any assignment you give me, I'm not sure what I can bring to this party."

He gestured at the folder.

"I see a lot of mingling and observing and trying to keep four hundred women safe. Sounds like an interesting but unlikely scenario for trouble, if you ask me, Ranger. So, what's got your radar pinging and how can we diffuse it without drawing attention to ourselves?"

Ranger smiled at Ram. He had completely hit the nail on the head the first time and spoke.

"Stephanie had already been accepted to attend the Summit before we requested that she attend. Her job is to do what she planned to do anyway. Take in the different presentations, involve herself in some workshops, smooze at the social gatherings, in other words, do what she wanted to do anyway. While doing that she will see if anything hinky starts to rear itself. We checked and there is some traffic and chatter out there that there will be a disturbance at the Summit. Sort of like a black eye on New York to make them the centre of attention again. Our job is to neutralize the situation and prevent a media nightmare."

He stopped and looked at Ram.

Ram was nodding his head.

"Funny thing, Ranger. When I was 'out' I heard that someone was interested in a disruption that would be a media frenzy. I couldn't find out anything else without drawing attention to myself but it sounds like it may be one and the same as what you are hearing."

Ranger leaned back in his chair and thought.

"Les is heading to New York to see if he can identify the chatter a bit better. Tank was going to be at the control centre but since he is off the detail as long as Lula is ill, I would like to put you in charge there. You have a keen sense of picking out minute details with your training and I want you to use that knowledge to sit back and try to enlarge and piece it together."

Ram shrugged his shoulders. While he had not taken on a job like this, he frequently had to piece together details to finalize his target area for completion of the mission.

"I can do it, Ranger. Let me know when and where you need me. My schedule is clear right now and I don't anticipate any phone calls for the forseeable future. I'm on my own time now and can choose what I want. Just to let you know, I refused to sign again and while they dangled some pretty big bucks my way, I want a life without those phone calls."

Ranger nodded. He certainly could understand Ram's thinking. It was time to let the younger men take up the challenge.


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you for reading and reviewing. **

Chapter 12

Ranger called a meeting of the Summit Team. Ram had walked in not sure where to sit. This was the Core Team, the nucleus of Rangeman, and although Tank and Les were not there, he could still feel the raw power in the room.

He had slowed his steps as he arrived and looked around. Ranger was sitting behind his desk, and Bobby was sitting on one side of the leather couch. The chair in front of Ranger was vacant and so was the other end of the couch.

Bobby noticed that Ram was standing by the door prepared to stay there as he looked around the room. He patted the seat beside him and spoke.

"Park your ass here, Ram. Les usually sits there but I already swept off his cooties."

Ranger looked at Ram and nodded and he walked over to sit in the offered seat. He did not slouch but sat almost at attention as he waited.

Ranger looked at the men.

"Les is in New York right now. He has a line on something and hopefully he can give us some more details before we move this there."

He looked down at his notes.

"I checked with Hector and he has his time-line for wrapping up Denver and making his way to New York. He is prepared to set up his electronic command post but it will have to be stationed back at Rangeman. He will have video access by the cameras we are planning on installing plus up-to-date information on any cancellations, or revisions as they come in. Unfortunately not being on site we need to keep him appraised of anything that feels off and hopefully he can help us to contain anything before it blows up in our faces."

He took a breath.

"Stephanie is clearing her schedule and is preparing to attend. She will arrive on the 13th and we have already secured a suite in her name, paid for by Rangeman. We have booked Digger for the entire event and he is co-ordinating getting her to her appointments and our personnel to wherever we need to be. We will also have a couple of vehicles on stand-by but vehicles are tight at this branch so I would like to keep their use to a minimum."

He looked at the men.

"Ram, have you found anything we need to be aware of with respect to the presenters?"

Ram shook his head.

"I checked our usual sources and even a few not so usual. The rumors seem to have totally dried up and I suspect that either whatever someone was talking about has not come to fruition, or in a worse-case scenario, they are set up and waiting for the Summit. I am hoping for the first but am not ruling out the second."

There was silence and Ram spoke again.

"Unfortunately there have been a number of cancellations from both presenters and attendees. The reasons are the usual; illness, family or scheduling changes. The committee is scrambling a bit making the necessary media corrections and they are holding off printing off the registration packages until the last minute. A number of the presenters had a significant number of people who had signed up wanting to attend their discussions and they are busy advising the attendees of the changes and the need to reschedule."

He looked at Ranger as if wanting permission to continue.

"Unfortunately I have noticed a disturbing trend that a number of attendees and presenters who are cancelling have ties to the Mexican and southern hemisphere region. I have attempted to clarify why on behalf of the Summit Committee but so far they are using the standard lines of illness, changing schedules or family obligations. There are too many of them to be just random."

Ranger looked at Bobby, and he straightened unconsciously.

"How are the hotels coping with the sudden influx of influential guests?"

Bobby looked down at his notes.

"We have the list of the hotels where most of the guests are staying and have co-ordinated with the hotel security with respect to increased vigilance while the ladies are at the Summit. The three hotels that have most of the guests have handled high security details in the past and their personnel are well trained in protection measures.

Unfortunately we are not in possession of where all the presenters are staying and I suspect that they are staying with friends or family which, if there is a security breach will make it difficult to keep them out of harm's way.

As it turns out, Bomber is staying at a hotel that was not on the list and at this time I am not sure if that is good or bad. She would have been under their increased protection, but at the same time we use that hotel ourselves for clients and they know that we are always checking on their security."

He paused.

"At least most of the ladies are travelling by car services that are fairly reputable. The Summit package of information had recommended that they travel that way due to a lack of parking and the always possibility of potential security threats."

Ranger nodded.

"Les is checking into the staff hired for the event. Most of the wait staff are casual workers but at first glance they have been working at the Convention Centre for some time.

He is also checking on the media events associated with the Summit. A number of stations wanted media accreditation to the Summit but as in past years, it has been closed to them and they are only allowed to set up the final evening for a synopsis of the events. They have already lined up a number of national news leaders who are female and they fought for the right to participate. So far, the Summit Committee has held them off but the Freedom of the Press legislation lawyers will eventually be brought in, I suspect."

Ranger looked down at the paper on the desk, mentally checking off what else needed to be done.

"Prepare to move to New York on the 10th to set up and finalize the details. Remember to pack the Tux's for the two formal meals. Standard Rangeman uniform is the order of the day for the workshops and we are on retainer for the additional workshops on the 16th for any that are being arranged over and above the initial workshops."

He looked at his men.

"I do not need to remind you that with this many well-known and important people attending such an influential function that security is to be maintained. Keep your eyes and ears open and report anything that you think is off, no matter how trivial."

Bobby, followed by Ram stood up and walked out of the room. Ranger had already started to work on the paperwork on his desk and didn't look up as they took their leave. Ram thought that it was passing strange but Bobby didn't seem concerned, clapped him on the shoulder and nodded his head to follow.

He headed to his office and waited for Ram then closed the door behind him.

"Thanks for coming onto the planning team on such short notice after you just returned. I expected you to take your usual two weeks off to decompress but if you are feeling up to it, I will not question your action. I have kept some possible times open for your returning physical, but I just wanted to touch base with you now."

Bobby looked at Ram as they sat down. He had flipped him a bottle of water that he had taken out of his personal fridge and opened one himself as he sat in the other easy chair.

"I hear that you finished your last mission of the contract and you didn't renew. How does it feel to be a free man?"

He smiled as he spoke. All the Core Team were now free of their contracts and only took on what interested them. He had dropped going on any missions and was pursuing further medical training. Les still did the odd one if the conditions were right and Ranger only took on the odd domestic call now. Tank was still on hiatus with the birth of the boys and he too had expressed that he was done. His family was more important than a few more dollars in his bank account.

Ram looked pensive as he rolled the bottle between both hands slowly. He looked up and his brow was furrowed.

"I had the strangest feeling that something was 'off' this mission. When we were being inserted, I sat on the chopper and was not sure if I would get off or refuse and return to base. I knew in my heart that I had done everything I needed to do to bring my mission to a successful conclusion but I had this niggling feeling that I was missing something."

He looked at Bobby and thought about his next remark. Bobby was the resident medic on staff, but he was much more than that to the men. He had been there and understood all the emotions that men had while out in the field.

"I had the weirdest feeling that I was 'done'. I couldn't get the thought out of my mind and to this day I have no idea what happened to make me think that. I used to get a real adrenaline rush from doing my job but this one..."

He stopped and looked at Bobby.

"I'm not afraid to die, but this mission made me reassess what I wanted to do with my life and where I wanted to go with it."

He dropped his eyes and seemed mesmerized by the bottle and its' sloshing contents.

Bobby stood up and walked to Ram, putting his hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

"No man will ever admit to fearing a mission, but there comes a time when it is time to hang'em up, and it could be that your mind and body are telling you it's time, Ram. You have always trusted your instincts up to now, so you might want to listen to them."

Ram nodded. He had a lot to think about. He thought of the contract that he had refused to sign. It was a lot of money to turn down, but he had handed it back without even considering it seriously. He wondered what his life would be like now. Ranger putting him on a detail with the Core Team had him wondering if he was being looked at with an eye to more responsibility and maybe a step up the ladder in leadership. He vowed to do his very best at the Summit, both to look for that one possible detail that might take down the house of cards if they were not vigilant, but at the same time to try to keep Stephanie safe. She was a magnet for trouble and if there was anything happening at the Summit he firmly believed that she would be involved somehow.

He looked at Bobby and nodded.

What time do you want me in the infirmary for my physical?"

Bobby walked back to his desk and sat down, pulling up his schedule for the day.

"How about 1100? That gives us both some time to work and to have time before lunch for your blood tests?"

Ram nodded. He was beginning to exhibit the early signs of hypoglycemia. It was in the family and they had been watching for the tell-tale signs. Time would tell with a regular schedule and careful diet if it would remain stable for years to come.

Bobby made some notes on his working file to keep an eye on Ram. He had suspected that there was a reason behind his early return. He hoped that it was just because Ranger had asked him to step into the vacant spot on the detail.

~~~o0o~~~

Les pondered his next move.

He normally had a member of the Core Team as his back-up, but with none in town, he hesitated to use someone from New York. He shuddered to think what kind of shit he would be in if and/or when Ranger found out. He shrugged. Of course Ranger would find out. He seemed to know everything, especially if someone was trying to hide something.

He prepared with care for the evening. He had a name but it would mean infiltrating in a brotherhood so ugly that he shuddered in spite of himself.

Les was a strong man and had literally seen it all, at least in his opinion.

He was to be at 252 West 43rd Street by midnight. From there he would be taken to the meeting. He suspected that his cover story had been checked and re-checked for validation and he crossed his fingers that the details would pass. He had paid a lot of money to get this far.

Les emptied his pockets of any materials identifying him as someone from Rangeman and he also left his weapons in the building. He felt totally naked with only a knife in his ankle scabbard. He had a sheet of paper with the motto in his back pocket in case he was required to produce it.

Les took a last cleansing breath before vacating the building. He grabbed a cab down the street and had the driver take him to a run-down hotel, then walked to the subway down the street, jumping on it and watching with New York boredom as the stops came and went. He had no idea if he was being observed and tried to maintain the facade of building excitement but apprehension. Some part of him was not feigning the apprehension.

Les exited the subway at his stop then walked the remaining distance, leaning against the wall. He crossed his legs and watched the crowds pass by. Midnight and it was still busy. Having lived in New York, he knew that it never slept and there were as many night owls as early birds.

He had been advised that he should watch for a person wearing a brown leather jacket and wearing a pair of blue gloves walking by then follow about ten feet behind until he walked to a car. He was to get in the back seat and wait for further instructions.

Les spied his target and carefully stood up gauging when to start walking. He came to a car and the rear passenger door opened. He sat down and someone closed the door behind him.

It was dark inside the car and he heard a rustle as a bag was placed over his head.

"Welcome to the Brotherhood, friend. You are about to meet some new friends."

Les tried to remain calm. Unfortunately, this could end in a number of ways.

He remembered the last time he had had a bag put over his head while on a mission.

~~~o0o~~~

Flashback

He had been bagged, but not with something as soft as this. It had been a burlap sack and was scratchy and rough. He also was not sitting in a comfortable car, but trussed up with his hands and feet tied together behind him. He had endured a rough ride in the back of a pick-up truck that had seen better days and possibly had no shocks left to cushion the bumps as they flew down the road.

He remembered as the bag had been pulled off his head and looking around at men wearing scarves covering their faces, staring down at him with their weapons at the ready.

He had endured days of beatings and wondered if he would make it out alive. They wanted information and he had held firm enduring the torture with stoic stubbornness.

He had been moved a number of times to keep his whereabouts secret and while he hoped that someone would rescue him, he mentally prepared to die. He had wakened up one morning to women standing by to wash and dress him in a clean set of clothing and was put in front of a video camera and forced to read what was printed beside the camera while a rifle was poking him painfully in the back, and a gun was held to the head of a 8 year old boy in front of him off camera.

The team had devised a signal to be used if this ever happened that could give a general area they were in in case that it would be seen by someone. The different subtle signals would signal what dialect was being spoken.

He had been hauled away after the recording ended and the beatings began again.

When Ranger and the men found him, he was unable to walk and would need to heal for months. Tank had offered to carry him out to the pick-up point but Ranger had shaken his head and had carried him all the way. He had felt devastated that his cousin was in so much pain and blamed himself for the whole mission going as FUBAR as it had.

Bobby tended his injuries for months and they had all reaffirmed that they would hunt for a brother to their last dying breaths.

End Flashback

~~~o0o~~~

Les sat as comfortably as he could as the car drove up and down the streets, trying to keep him guessing at the destination.

Finally it slowed down and turned, then stopped.

The car door opened and a hand grabbed him by the upper arm and guided him out of the car. He was walked up a sidewalk and told to step up three stairs. He heard a door open in front of him and he was gently guided forward again. He could hear their footsteps echo and realized that he was in some kind of a large building. His arm was pulled back and he stopped. He could hear whispers and then the sound of footsteps leaving.

Les could feel the chair against the back of his legs as he was encouraged to sit down. His hands were pulled back and they were handcuffed behind him and what appeared to be snap ties attached to his legs holding him against the legs of the chair. His knife was taken away and he could hear someone tut-tutting him on bringing a weapon.

He started to sweat under the bag, even though he could feel the cool air around him. His first thought was that he was in some kind of a packing plant but he could not smell meat.

He waited, his ears straining to hear anything. Minutes stretched into many more minutes. He wanted to squirm and try to massage his stiff shoulders but he stilled his movements. There was no telling if anyone was watching his every move and he did not want to take a chance that this was another test.

Les pretended to sit quietly waiting his fate. He regretted that he had not let Ranger know what was going on, even just to advise him what he had learned.

A door opened and he could hear footsteps. He could almost feel the people standing with him in the middle of a circle. He began to tense up.

The first voice spoke.

"Welcome, friend. This is a meeting of the Brotherhood to ascertain if you are worthy of joining our collective. As you probably suspect, we checked your references and then we delved into your life. Before we make a final decision, we are going to ask you a number of questions. Failure to respond or providing the wrong answer will result in significant discomfort."

Another voice chimed in.

"Our Brotherhood is strong, yet we feel bound to keep our true business as private as we can. We have our pledge, and we have our objectives, but our real motive is to keep our country honorable and safe from the enemies flocking to our land."

Another voice spoke.

"I am not convinced of your dedication to this cause and to pass, you must convince me that you are solemn in your views and truly want to join us in our struggle."

Another voice chimed in.

"I can see that we have scared the boy. I say we ask one question each then meet and decide his fate. I for one think that we need new blood and what better way than to recruit from this great city we live in."

Les tried to clear his throat without drawing too much attention to himself. He made it appear to the group standing around him that he was preparing himself for the all-important questions and was trying to put his best foot forward.

He hoped that the tiny recorder that was sealed in the shoulder padding of his jacket was recording everything. Silvio had promised that he would process the voice recognition upon his return.

The questions began.

"Tell us about your name and where your family originated."

Les cleared his throat and he stammered.

"My name is Enrique Michael Benevides. My father emigrated from the small town of Benidorm in Spain with his young wife, my mother. My two brothers were born in Spain and I was born in New York . My father was a cobbler and worked his whole life supporting his family."

Another voice began their question.

"Why do you want to join The American Freedom Party?"

Les remembered the motto in his pocket.

"I am saddened by the southern borders being over-run into our great country. While I too come from immigrants, my family is from the old world and wished to bring their skills to this new country and hopefully help the family to reap the rewards of hard work. My father watched as immigrants flooded into our city and scooped up all the available jobs leaving the young to forage for their own trades or join a branch of the Armed Forces to make ends meet for their families. I too was unable to get a job and was forced to serve in the Army. I watched as my unit became diluted from men from the south who had forced their way into my country for a better life. I served my time and got out when I could. I listen as co-workers spout that guns need to be eliminated from the general population and the motto that we, the citizens have a right to bear arms, should be challenged in the courts across my country."

Les stopped and took a breath as if to control his emotions.

"I want our government to become lean and mean and actually get something done to rid the scourge of the earth from my city."

He opened his mouth to say more, but a hand on his shoulder quieted him.

Voice number three spoke.

"What skills would you bring to our collective?"

Les thought of his answer.

"Although I speak the same language, I do not recognize the South American Spanish as it is a perverted/bastardized version of my native country's' beautiful native language. I was born with the ability to learn languages and I can observe and watch and hear what people are spouting on the street. I have a good memory of faces and can pick people out in a crowd. I was trained by our country to get rid of the enemy and I have no qualms about killing for the greater good."

The voice who sounded almost kindly spoke.

"Where is your family now?

Les shrugged his shoulders.

"My father was killed in a drive-by shooting and my mother died of a broken heart. I do not agree with the values and ideals of my brothers and I have not seen them for some years."

Les sat quietly, waiting as if for fate to decide.

He heard footsteps recede as if to meet in a corner of the room.

His ears picked up whispering back and forth. He heard one person expressing caution but another expressing their support. More conversation was held and finally Les could hear some kind of slapping, as if a secret handshake had just been performed.

He tensed up as the footsteps came closer once again.

Someone put their hand on his shoulder and he prepared for what might happen next.

"The Leadership has decided. You will be placed into our New Brotherhood Wing and your training will commence immediately. You will submit yourself to our ways and we will ensure that you have backing as you learn our ways.

His legs were freed from the snap ties and his hands uncuffed. Les felt the bag begin to lift off his head and he prepared to memorize the faces of the four interrogators.

Imagine his surprise when he looked around. The room was filled with men and women, of various ages and dress. They had stood so very still in the room he had no idea they had been there.

He was pulled up off the chair and first one man then another shook his hand. No names were offered. He was passed around the room and shook hands with men and women, old and young, rich and poor. His mind was trying to register just how many were there.

Les was moved to the corner of the room and two men stood by him. The obvious leader put his finger to his lips and pantomimed to be silent. Les watched as a man with a bag over his head was led into the room and he was made to sit down. He watched as the hands were handcuffed and the legs fastened to the chair legs.

He listened as once again the questions began. He was watching for signs and noted that the men asking the questions were looking at each other and shaking their heads. He watched as they moved to a vacant corner and did some kind of handshake. They walked back and once again circled the man sitting.

"We are not convinced of your dedication to our cause."

There was a gasp from the crowd as a woman stepped behind the man and produced a line in her hands. She quickly put it around his neck and tightened it. There was a slight struggle and the man slumped.

Two men moved forward and picking up the chair, they left the room. There was absolute silence.

Les watched as another chair was placed in the middle of the room and once again someone was led in. This time it was a female and once again the questions were asked. Obviously she had spoken what they wanted to hear as her ties were cut off and she was freed from the handcuffs and the bag over her head.

Les watched as the members slowly left the room. His two escorts stayed by his side and he waited for further instructions.

A voice he recognized from his questions came over and spoke.

"Mr. Benevides. Welcome and please know that you have joined a brotherhood that is very powerful and believes in the cause. Go home tonight and dwell on your good fortune. As you observed, there are only two ways out of this room. We will contact you when your training is to begin."

He walked away and Les felt a hand on his back, pushing him to follow. He found himself in the front entranceway and a car was standing by with the back door opened once again. One of his escorts held the bag in his hand and he nodded at Les. It was placed over his head and once again he was led to the car and placed in the back. The car pulled away and sped down the street once again twisting and turning. It stopped and the bag was removed and the door opened.

"We will be in touch with your next instructions. Have a good night."

Les found himself on the sidewalk back at where he had started. He looked at his watch. It was almost three a.m. but he felt too relieved to feel tired. He walked to the subway and retraced his steps, except he did not go into the Rangeman building but instead a small hotel down the road. Silvio was sitting in the room watching tv and he put his hand out for the jacket, slightly ripping the seam and retrieving the small recorder. He pocketed it and walked out the door.

Les lay on the bed spread-eagled and thanked all the gods in the world that he was still breathing.


	13. Chapter 13

**All recognizable characters belong to JE. All others are mine.**

Chapter 13

Tank was standing by the bedside as the doctor came into the room. He was holding a sheaf of papers in his hand.

Dr. Sullivan stopped and looked at the two holding hands.

"Against my better judgment I am releasing you to the care of Bobby at your home. You are to stay on these antibiotics for the full ten days. We have to get this infection knocked out before we even look at any kind of surgery, Lula. I know you want to get home to your babies but you need to understand that you are not to lift them or carry them around. I want you on total bed rest."

Both Lula and Tank nodded their agreement.

The doctor reached out and shook both Tank's and Lula's hands before heading to the door then turned around.

"Make an appointment at my office when you finish your medications, Lula, unless there is a problem in which case come back to the hospital," and he disappeared out the door.

Tank and Lula gave each other a hand squeeze. The bags were already by the door and Tank strode to the closed door and opened it, motioning the two men to come in and take them out. He motioned for Lula to sit down in the wheelchair and proceeded to wheel her out the room toward the front door where his Hummer sat waiting. He helped her into the front seat and ran around to the driver's door, jumping in and putting on his seatbelt, before shoulder checking and pulling out of the loading area.

~~~o0o~~~

Stephanie was standing at the ticket counter. Ranger was by her side as he watched her confirm her flight back to Lexington.

She looked back to Ranger, watching as he lifted the suitcase onto the scale by the counter. Grasping her boarding pass she walked toward the security gate, treasuring every moment she could before leaving once again.

They stopped before the entrance for one last kiss. It was chaste. They had said their goodbyes earlier in the apartment.

Stephanie stepped out of his embrace and walked to the gate, waving as she passed through the doors. Ranger waited just a moment or two to school his face then walked back out to his car. He pointed it in the direction of Rangeman. He needed to do a lot of work today to take his mind off of the fact that he was being left behind, again.

~~~o0o~~~

Les stepped onto the control room floor. New York had such a different atmosphere and while he loved to visit, he still preferred Miami most of all. Trenton was too cold for him, New York did not have time to enjoy life as they bustled around. Miami had that special attitude that while there were important details needing to be addressed, there was still time to sit down, and enjoy life.

Les wondered how long he wanted to remain in Trenton. While the core team were all headquartered there, Bobby was making noises that he wanted to take additional medical training and was perusing locations, Tank and Lula would make their home in Trenton with their family, and Ranger, well, Ranger was like the wind. He could stay anywhere.

Les remembered that Ranger used to ride horses when he was younger and with Stephanie so involved in the equine scene, would he look at moving to Kentucky? While building security might not be as high a priority, maybe stealing or poisoning of prize animals might be. Something to ponder.

He headed for his office wondering how much paperwork would be on his desk. When the core team was in-house, Rangeman decisions reverted to them. Rory was an excellent XO, but he was quick to pass off the ever-increasing load whenever he could.

Les stood at the door and literally wilted at the in-box. He hung his head in defeat and walked around to the chair and sat down, pulling the box to him. It was going to be a long day. He could almost hear Rory in the next office laughing at his good fortune. Les wondered if tomorrow he could find a way to get Rory on the mats. He felt the need to point out a few things to discourage over-loading. Fair was fair, but still...

~~~o0o~~~

Rod looked at the photo once again that Stephanie had sent to his phone. He gazed at the chiseled features of the man Stephanie called Hector. He looked at the two teardrops under his eye and gulped. He knew enough about gang life that he was very, very cognizant what they meant. He wondered if he had other tattoos on his body or if he was otherwise tattoo free.

Rod had always wanted to have a tattoo but being in the fashion industry for as long as he had, it was most certainly frowned on and discouraged unless it was completely hidden.

Ella and Luis had kept an eye on him and had kept him out of the drug scene. He was too busy to hang out on the streets learning about the crack business and instead had excelled in sports more geared to his slight posture like gymnastics, fencing and badminton.

They had never discouraged him or had tried to change him from his sexual orientation, instead encouraging him to learn more about his feelings. They loved him for himself and encouraged him as he stepped out into society.

Rod wondered how Ella would feel if she were to meet this Hector. He had never felt the need or the desire to find someone good enough to introduce to Ella and Luis. He felt a quick burst of excitement as he took another glance.

~~~o0o~~~

Stephanie stepped out of the terminal and was directed to a waiting cab. She gave the address to the driver and sat back and watched as the scenery passed by.

Stephanie loved Kentucky. While New Jersey was her family home and always would be, she could see herself living in Kentucky full-time. The weather was not as bone-chilling cold during the winter and not as oppressively scorching during the summer. The pace was more sedate and truth-be-told, most of her business was conducted in Kentucky, which would make travelling so much easier.

She noticed a few For Sale signs on the outside of condo buildings and toyed with checking some out. If she sold her little condo in Trenton and purchased here, she could use it as a home base. Then, if Ranger agreed, she would stay with him whenever she travelled back to Trenton.

Her face fell with the realization that she was planning on leaving the safety of Rangeman with this plan. Rangeman was security without pressure. Leaving Trenton would mean she would be leaving Rangeman and its employees behind. Moving to Kentucky would mean leaving Ranger.

~~~o0o~~~

Stephanie sunk into the barrel chair back in her hotel. She had visited Keenland Racetrack and had chatted with the trainers. She had smoozed with owners as they were gathering for the new season to begin. She had been wined and dined and if not for the extensive weight room in the hotel, would have gained weight from all the heavy meals and never-ending drinks offered to her.

It was an exciting time but she was now ready to head to Louisville for the some of the Derby Festival. There would be marathons, parades, dances, street entertainment, and all culminating with the Great Balloon Glow. There would be hundreds of giant hot-air balloons lifting into the sky.

One of Stephanie's bucket list items had always been to ride in a hot-air balloon. She was hoping to score a ride in one and was making inquiries who would still have room to take passengers. Unfortunately she was almost too late and she sighed at the missed opportunity.

She picked up the ringing phone with the batman ringtone.

"Hey Batman, I was just thinking of you."

Ranger chuckled. He was always thinking of his Babe.

He spoke.

"I was wondering when you were heading back to Louisville. I have a free weekend and Bobby has offered to take charge while I am away."

He waited with baited breath. If she was busy or at meetings, it would seem stupid to come out there and sit in the hotel room waiting for her to return. He smiled at her squeal of excitement.

"Oh, Ranger, I am pumped to hear you're coming to see me! I leave here tomorrow and have rented a car for the two weeks I'm in Louisville. We could take in the Festival! There are parades and street entertainment. I've scored premium box seats for the parade on Saturday. I know we talked about it but I am still trying to find a ride in a hot-air balloon but I think I am too late for this year."

Ranger could hear how disappointed she was and he stifled the smile that he could feel inside wanting to come out.

"Well, Babe, if you let me to tag along, I'll fly out tomorrow night but I have to leave on Monday. I'm sure we can find some time to see some of the sights."

Stephanie squealed again to herself this time. She had missed him and would have liked to share the Festival with him and with the confirmation that he was coming to see her made it all seem better, somehow.

"Text me your flight number and I'll meet you at the airport. You just made my day."

They chatted for a few minutes then hung up and Stephanie could hear her phone beep. It was Ranger's flight information and she put it in her calendar with a big star.

She climbed into bed and slept dreaming of Ranger riding in the Festival Parade with a big ten gallon hat, and spurs decorating his cowboy boots. She wriggled with desire dreaming of him in chaps. Then she dreamt of him getting off the plane in his chaps.

Stephanie woke up and dashed for the bathroom.

~~~o0o~~~

"I need Hector on the information highway looking for anything coming in under cover of Summit information."

He watched as they vacated his office. Checking his watch he strode to the door, picking up his duffel on the way out and headed for the stairs. He stashed the bag in the trunk and slid into the car, sliding down his sunglasses before turning the key. The powerful engine growled to life then purred as he headed out the garage on the way to the airport.

Ranger locked the car in the lot and strode to the building, mentally preparing himself for the security procedure he was about to endure once again. The alternative was to divest himself of his weapons while flying and he dismissed that immediately. He would feel as uncomfortable during the flight as if he had stood naked in the aisle.

Ranger sighed as he settled in an uncomfortable chair at the gate. Unfortunately he had been unlucky to arrive during a training session of new airport security personnel and their glee at practicing on him left him exasperated and a little short in the professional response department. He wondered how many images of him in the body scanning booth would be adorning bathroom walls tonight.

Ranger waited for his flight to be called. He observed that there were a number of young families preparing to board the flight, along with a bevy of athletes in matching track suits. He hoped the curtain separating first class and coach was sufficient to deaden what could be a very noisy flight.

Ranger walked out the door with his duffel in his hand looking around for a familiar face. He needn't have worried as at the last possible second he had time to open his arms and cradle Stephanie as she practically leaped into his arms.

He smirked slightly as he stared into Stephanie's twinkling eyes. "Missed me, Babe?" as he slowly set her down on her feet.

Stephanie smiled and tugged at his hand, pulling him toward the parking lot and pointing to her rental. She pressed the key fob and the trunk opened allowing him to place his duffel in the open cavity.

She motioned for him to take the passenger seat and she ran around to jump in behind the wheel. It was her turn to drive him around today.

She drove him past some of the memorable landmarks on the way to her hotel, chattering all the way about the celebrations that she had seen, were either on now or would be commencing that evening. She told him about her being offered premium seats to view the very first of the parades tomorrow morning, the street entertainment she had already taken in, and all the interesting food stands she had tested at The Fest-A-Ville. Sheglossed over the racing personnel she had already met with, the promotional picture with her beside one of the ten horses and their riders. Catching her breath she told him how, just that afternoon, the exciting cross-country ride she had taken on a mare that she was thinking of buying.

Ranger could only watch her as her face was lit up with excitement. He thought back and could not honestly say when he had seen her so very animated. It looked like she had found where she wanted to live her life.

He mentally wondered how he fit in her plans. His place was back east. While he could be mobile to a certain extent, there was no Rangeman branch anywhere near Kentucky.

Their first stop was to her hotel room to change into western wear for the evening barbeque. Ranger had dug into his closet and pulled out a set of stone-washed jeans, a western shirt, his cowboy hat and boots from an in-country mission. He had checked with her whether he needed to bring his chaps, and sounded puzzled on the phone when she had drawn her breath in before answering in the affirmative.

After coming out of the bathroom his breath had hitched at the cowgirl outfit his Babe was wearing. She had on a black short sleeved tailored shirt with two big white buttons, a short black flared skirt with a white ruffle at the bottom, cowboy boots and a cowboy hat perched back on her head.

Ranger wondered how long the evening entertainment would go on before he could bring back his little cowgirl to the hotel.

They headed out.

Ranger and Stephanie mingled with the crowd waiting for their supper to be ready. He watched as a group of men approached Stephanie. Standing close by, he listened as they proceeded to beg her to take over the final spot on their team for the Great Bed Race on Monday. Their driver had come down with a case of shingles and they were short. Would she consider it? Their charity of choice was The Boys and Girls Clubs.

Stephanie asked what her part in it would be and the men expanded on her job. She would be the driver and they would be the propulsion. She looked at Ranger and then grinned. This would be fun. Giving her the details of where she needed to be and when, they moved on.

The evening had been an eye-opener for Ranger. He had made a number of interesting contacts as soon as some businessmen had found out he was the owner of Rangeman. They had given him their cards and mentioned that if he ever contemplated expanding into Kentucky to give them a call. They were not as happy with their current security arrangements and wanted a chance to look at someone else

Stephanie sat in the passenger seat as Ranger drove back to the hotel. She had taken off her boots and was wriggling her toes as she rested them on the dashboard in front of her.

She groaned. "Ranger, these boots were definitely NOT made for walking."

He had to chuckle at her admission. She could wear impossibly high pumps without missing a beat, but a boot with structure and she was complaining.

"Babe, I'll rub your feet when we get back," and Stephanie smiled. She loved his foot rubs.

Ranger opened the door with the key card that Stephanie had arranged for him and followed her into the room. He tossed his now removed chaps over a straight-backed chair and watched as she sank onto the bed and groaned. He dropped the keys on the desk and took off his boots putting them by the door, picking up hers and also placing them straight and in line. He walked over and sat down on the bed motioning for her to lift her feet and put them in his lap. He started at her toes, gently massaging them, then moved down to her arch and then the heel. He watched her expression as he began to gently massage up past her ankle and then her calf, moving slowly, ever upwards. She sighed in relief. He put her foot down and she moaned in disappointment until he picked up her other foot and performed the same procedure. This time, watching her he moved up higher and higher.

Her eyes changed as his hands kept kneading and massaging. He looked at the belt with the little horseshoe decoration in the front and flicked it open. He found the invisible zipper on the side and slowly slid it down. Next he set his sights on those two big white buttons holding the shirt together.

Stephanie wriggled in anticipation. She reached for him and began to unbutton his shirt, one button at at time until she slid the material over his shoulders and let it fall behind him. She worked the buckle on his jeans loose and unbuttoned him, slowly sliding down the zipper.

Their breathing had changed as they took in each other's naked bodies. They reached for each other, missing being together. Their coupling was passionate, frenzied and voracious.

They headed for the shower and once again joined. They planned to make every minute of the weekend count.

~~~o0o~~~

Les woke from a sound sleep to his burned phone buzzing in his ear. He reached for it and opened it up, mopping his face with his hand as if to wipe the cobwebs from his brain.

"Hello," came out in a tentative voice.

There was silence then a recorded voice clicked on.

"Brother, your training begins. Be at the same place as the last time in three hours. Bring a change of clothes."

There was a dial tone in his ear and Les hung up.

He gulped and picked up his other phone. Ranger was off-line but Bobby was on-call. He would need all the help in the world to get him through this.

Bobby answered on the second ring and Les spoke.

"I need help buddy, and I'm in New York."

Bobby rang Ram and he fumbled for his phone on the night table.

"I have to leave town right now and I don't know when I'll be back. You're in charge. Please don't burn down the building!"

Ram hung up to the dial tone in his ear. He climbed out of bed and put on his uniform, grabbed his weapons and headed for the door. On the way up the stairs he wondered which office he should use? Ranger's? No way in hell was he sitting there! Tank's, nuh huh. Stephanie had used it with Tank away and he did not think that that would be appropriate. Bobby's or Les's? He mentally flipped a coin as he opened the stairway door walking onto the floor.

Men were at the monitoring station and there were some at their workstations. Rangeman Enterprises never slept. He stood at the door to Bobby's office and prepared himself. He turned the knob and walked in, heading to the desk.

On it was a single sheet of paper with Bobby's unique handwriting. He sat down and picked up the piece of paper. On it was one sentence, five words.

**You made the right choice.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Thank you once again for your reviews. **

Chapter 14

They ate breakfast in the hotel restaurant on the patio Sunday morning. It had been a whirlwind weekend but unfortunately Ranger had to leave the next morning.

They sat planning their day. Just then, Ranger's phone rang. He looked at the number and spoke.

"Manoso."

There was some conversation.

"What time?"

More words.

"We'll be there."

Ranger hung up and looked at his Babe. She never ceased to be amazed how few words he could use in a conversation.

Ranger finished his breakfast and he looked at her.

"Babe, we need to be ready to leave about three this afternoon."

Stephanie thought of their plans for today. It had been tentatively penciled in as an off-day with no real activities. She noticed that he gave no details and shrugged her shoulders. Truth be told, she had made most of the plans for the whole weekend and Ranger had gone along with them, as some were work or business related.

They took their time finishing their coffee and holding hands, went for a walk in the park by the hotel. Stephanie saw a wagon selling corn dogs and her mouth watered. Ranger looked at her.

"Babe, you just ate an hour ago. How can you be hungry again?"

She smiled at him. Corn dogs were one of her very favorite foods and she would always make room for one. Squirting mustard up and down the dog, she took a big bite and moaned with enjoyment. Ranger shifted on the park bench and watched as her eyes closed and she took another bite.

He had always treated food as for sustenance only and really could not understand how it could be so very enjoyable. He tried to think of his favorite food and other than flan, which he did like, nothing jumped out, after all, it was just food.

They found a small merry-go-round and Stephanie let go of Ranger's hand and raced to it, kicking off her sandals and grabbing one of the grab bars. Ranger stood by and watched as she pushed it faster and faster then jumped on. He watched as she lay down on the spinning platform and lay with her arms and legs spread out and she looked up at the sky.

He shook his head and gauging the speed grabbed one of the handles and ran pushing it faster and faster before jumping on and making his way to her. He too lay down with his head by hers and also lay still looking at the sky as the little apparatus spun round and round. He turned his head to hers and gently kissed her on the lips. They lay that way feeling the merry-go-round slow down then stop.

They sat up and blushed as two little girls stood by watching them.

Laughing they climbed off and Ranger held her hand as Stephanie slipped into her sandals. As they walked away, they heard the little girls say to each other.

"They kissed each other. Yuuucccky!"

Three o'clock arrived and he guided her to the car. He had stated that they would need clothes for a cool outing so they had jackets over their arms and wore long slacks and comfortable shoes.

Ranger was quiet on the way, which was not unusual but he did seem a bit preoccupied. Stephanie sat back and enjoyed the ride, listening to the soft music coming from the stereo.

Ranger pulled up at the Kentucky Exposition Center, and showed his pass to the gate attendant.

Stephanie sat up and looked around. There were people scurrying everywhere preparing their giant hot air balloons to lift into the evening sky. She looked at Ranger and he grinned. She remembered that he had asked her to hold off on finding a ride and while she had wondered why, she had accepted his wish. It appeared that he had been doing some phoning himself and she started to bounce with excitement.

They parked the car and walked into the field. Ranger was looking at his phone as if following a map.

Two men came up to Ranger and shook his hand then her hand, thanking them for coming. Stephanie looked at the basket that was being dragged off the trailer. It was the standard cane material and looked about the size to hold the operator, a space for the heater in the middle and room to hold approximately three other people. She watched as two men proceeded to bring out the propane heater, then grabbing a large bag, pulled it off the trailer.

They laid it on the ground and began to unroll it, being careful not to snag it in any way. There were steel cables and they stretched them out as they progressed.

Stephanie stood transfixed as they worked. She looked at Ranger and a smile began to creep out. He had arranged for them to take a ride? He had done this knowing that she wanted to try something new?

She squeezed his hand as she watched the preparations.

The men certainly appeared to know their jobs and before long the lines were attached to the basket, which was laying on its side. A third man had secured the burner to the top of the basket.

Stephanie looked around. Balloons as far as she could see were being prepared for takeoff. It looked like everyone was waiting for a signal to start inflating. All of a sudden there were compressors starting up. Stephanie watched in fascination at the balloon began to inflate then lift upwards until it swayed gently above the basket.

Ranger took her hand and walked to the left then pointed up to the balloon and Stephanie could only take a shuddered breath. On the side in very, very large letters were the words, 'Kennedy Horse Accessories'. Underneath was her web address and the picture of a horse's head.

Stephanie turned to Ranger and he smiled.

"It's too early for your birthday, Babe, but I thought you might like the present."

He continued.

"As you know the main Balloon Glow was early on Saturday but there were so many applications that could not be processed so they scheduled another flight today."

Stephanie jumped into his arms and squealed in his ear. He had his arms around her and hugged her to him as she kissed him again and again, crying tears of happiness.

"Oh Ranger. It's such a beautiful gift. And we get to take a ride in it for the inaugural flight?"

Stephanie looked at Ranger. His facial expression gave nothing away that he may or may not have helped the planning committee to schedule another flight. She sighed. She would never know and he certainly would never divulge how close she was to the truth.

Her eyes twinkled and she wriggled out of his embrace.

Walking to the now upright basket she slid her hand over the material, looked inside, then glanced at the heater, attached above the basket pointing into the base of the balloon. She peeked up looking at how large the inside of the balloon was. She was practically jumping for joy.

Ranger took her hand in his as they walked over to the pilot operator. He gave a quick safety lesson on do's and dont's in a balloon and looked around. A few balloons were being prepared to lift off and he glanced at Ranger.

Ranger scooped her into the basket and then he jumped in. The pilot operator was already in and looking at the ground crew he turned on the heater, warming up the air. He looked around as they started to lift off the ground. Score, he was one of the first off!

They lifted and the wind started to drift them over the city of Louisville. Ranger and Stephanie held hands and looked down, marveling at the sight. Stephanie could not believe how quiet it was, except when the heater kicked on for a few seconds then off again.

Ranger held her against his chest and wrapped his arms around her. He gave her a kiss on the top of her head and put his lips against her ear, whispering to her. She wriggled and then she reached up pulling his head down to her upturned face and gave him a kiss on the lips. They looked in each other's eyes and saw only love.

They drifted along watching the other balloons also following. Some were higher, some lower.

Their pilot was on his phone and pointed to a spot. He would try to land in a nice soft field so as not to damage anything or anyone. He had taken note that there were no power lines to impede or get tangled in.

The ground crew was waiting as they softly landed. There was only a slight bump as 'her' balloon gently returned them to Mother Earth.

Ranger picked her up and set her down on the outside of the basket then putting one hand on the top railing he vaulted out.

There was one of the crew standing by with glasses and a bottle of champagne and they toasted the pilot operator and the balloon for a safe ride. Their basket companion handed them a Sim card of pictures he had taken of them during the flight.

A vehicle stood ready to take them back to the fair grounds.

Ranger watched as Stephanie turned around looking through the back window at 'her' balloon. He felt relieved that he had picked the perfect gift for her. She could take a ride whenever it went out, or rent out the basket to would-be riders. It was pretty good advertising and could go anywhere she was at for Open Houses.

They returned to their car and prepared to leave.

Stephanie held Ranger's hand all the way back to the hotel. They were mentally counting down the hours before the plane left carrying him back east.

They ordered in Room Service and spent the rest of the night in each other's arms. Sleep came only when they had reached exhaustion levels and even then they slept close, very, very close.

Morning came and Ranger had his duffel by the door. Stephanie was running back and forth from the bathroom as she was dropping him off at the airport and then heading to a meeting.

The drive to the airport was made in silence and walking hand in hand they walked into the departure area. Stephanie watched as Ranger confirmed his flight and received his boarding pass. He walked with Stephanie to the special security area for his check, stopping at the door.

"Babe, I had a fantastic weekend and I'll think of you until I see you in two weeks. We've already registered you in The London again and your wardrobe is scheduled to be delivered on the 14th."

Stephanie was holding onto Ranger's hand so hard he could feel the pressure, but he never mentioned it to her. Goodbye's were hard for her and today was no different.

He reached around and lifted her into the air, giving her a hug, and tenderly kissing her.

"I'll phone you this evening after your meetings, Babe. Be safe and I'll be counting the days until I see you again."

He put her down and made as if to stride away. Stephanie pulled back on his hand, taking Ranger slightly off-balance and into her. She reached up and put both arms around his neck and pulling his head down, looked into his eyes.

"I love you, Carlos Manoso."

With that, she let him go and watched as he walked through the doors.

~~~o0o~~~

Bobby was sitting in the hotel room as Les wearily unlocked the door and walked in. He dropped his bag on the ground and slumped onto the bed. He was tired and dirty but it was his eyes that Bobby had zeroed in on. Les had seen a lot in his life and while he was not particularly a scared man, certain situations never failed to bother him.

Bobby let him collect his thoughts. Les rolled over and sitting up, he took off his jacket and proceeded to tear a small hole in the seam. He pulled out another little recorder and flipped it to his best friend and sidekick.

"Silvio is waiting for that to be sent to him in Miami. He has voice recognition on three of the four men from my first meeting already and I hope he can figure out the fourth man. At the same time, I hope that he can zero in on a couple of female voices. One seemed to filter in and out during our 'training' as if she was trying to stay out of the day-to-day activities and one seemed to be assessing what we were good at."

He looked at Bobby and motioned for the can of pop that he was holding, tipping it to his lips and draining the last of the can.

"As far as I can ascertain, there are two main groups. One is the front, older men and women who are quietly petitioning for legislation to relax the gun rules and petitioning for the tightening up of immigrant laws and numbers. Then, and these are the scary ones, are the behind the scene people who terrorize and help to 'make problems disappear'. I apparently have been slotted into that group and let me tell you, these people are more ruthless than some of the worst terrorists we have ever encountered."

Bobby let him talk. He was decompressing and at the same time, was reporting what he had observed. Les knew that Bobby had his phone on speaker and it was being taped back at Rangeman. That too would be put into the file.

Bobby looked at Les as he lay down again on the bed. His face was still screwed up in concentration and he knew that he was processing his next thought.

"All the signs are there that they have someone or more than one someone at the Summit. There were all kinds of meetings going on and any time-line I heard had to do with the Summit. It was hard to sneak around, really impossible as there were cameras everywhere, but the odd comment or sentence in the lunch room seemed to confirm that they are close and just waiting. If I had to guess, they are targeting a select group of ladies. Since their motto is whites only or old country, I expect that they are looking at anyone black or Latino. I suggest we target that group for extra vigilance."

Bobby stood up watching as Les pushed himself off the mattress to stand and speak.

"I showed them my travel schedule and that my job was taking me out of town for the next two weeks. They advised me that when I got back, I would be contacted again, so I will make my way back to Trenton, via Baltimore."

Bobby gave him a fist bump and headed out the door. He would catch a ride to Trenton with the vehicle that had been earmarked for temporary storage and check up on how Ram had been doing. He had not received any word otherwise, and assumed that Ram had indeed not burned down the building during his absence but was running it as he had been ordered.

He put his phone back into his pocket after checking that Les' tracking chip was stationary. Les had had the medic in New York insert it before he had gone and the code had been sent to Bobby to track. They had the destination now where Les had been taken. It was an old abandoned warehouse used to store combustibles. Bobby had checked out the owner of the building and from the data it appeared that he owned a number of properties in the gated industrial area.

In his pocket had been a sedative which Bobby had slipped into the can before giving it to Les. It should be working fairly soon as there had not been much liquid left in the can. Checking, he noticed that there was now an un-uniformed guard from Rangeman New York guarding the room and Les until he emerged from the room.

~~~o0o~~~

Ram looked at the in-box sitting beside the desk. He was beginning to appreciate the hard work that the Core Team processed on a daily basis in addition to all their other tasks. He shifted as the timer on his computer rang signaling that the morning meeting was about to start in ten minutes.

Pulling the paper work needed, he stood up. He remembered that it was OK to be early to the meeting, but never, never late.

Walking into the conference room he spied almost all the chairs occupied. He looked at his watch. Two minutes to go.

Just as his watch beeped, there was the sounds of running boots in the hallway and Zeke and Lee raced into the conference room, sliding to a stop as they grimaced at every eye watching them.

Ram scowled at them and spoke.

"Gentlemen, see me after the meeting."

They visibly swallowed and slunk to their chairs.

Ram looked over the men sitting attentively. This was his first time chairing the morning meeting and although he was nervous, he stilled his face and spoke.

"There was a break in last night and I looked at the response times. Just because a number of senior management are not in-house doesn't give anyone the excuse to take their time responding. I expect a full report on this alarm and what transpired."

He looked down at his notes.

"Three vehicles are in for maintenance which means that there will be some juggling. As a last resort, we can shuffle a couple from another location but until that happens be aware of the absolute need to ensure that they are fueled before returning them to the garage."

He looked down again.

"Bobby let it slip that he is popping a surprise fitness test later this week. A word to the wise here, you do NOT want to be on the receiving end of Bobby's punishment. I slipped up and wound up on a macrobiotic diet for two months! Just saying...!"

He noticed one man surreptitiously trying to cover up what looked like the bandage on a new tat on his upper arm. The room became very, very quiet as all eyes checked from one man to the other. Ram walked over to him and stood watching as he slowly stopped fidgeting and sat still in his chair. Ram felt him suck in his breath as he looked at the bandage that was now under Ram's hand.

"Nicols, report to the medic!"

Andrew Nicols nodded his head as he hissed in pain, then spoke.

"Sir, yes Sir!"

He stood up to leave then collapsed, almost falling to the ground except for the fact that two men caught him before he hit his head on the table. Ram had his phone out and called.

"Stick, report to Conference Room C now!"

Nicols was now laying on the floor and there was a ring of Rangemen standing around watching as Ted 'Stick' Hanson raced in with his bag under his arm.

He moved to the fallen man and then looked up.

"What happened?"

Ram spoke.

'He was fidgeting and kept trying to adjust the sleeve on his shirt. I walked over to him and put my hand on the bandage and he went white as a sheet. I ordered him to report to you and when he stood up, he collapsed."

Stick took a pair of surgical scissors out of his bag and cut the arm of the shirt up to the shoulder, pulling it back and then he carefully peeled the cling bandage off. He softly whistled as he looked at the angry mess.

He nodded to two men and they helped Nicols to stand up and keeping from touching his arm they supported him out the door to the infirmary.

Ram looked at everyone.

"Any business that can't wait?

There was silence, so Ram nodded and spoke.

"Dismissed."

Chairs scraped back and there was almost a stampede out the door. Zeke and Lee stood up and waited for the room to clear. Ram marched to them and unconsciously they snapped to attention. He put down the folder on the table beside them and waited for one of them to speak.

There was a clearing of throats and finally Lee spoke.

"Sir, no excuses. We were in the range trying out Zeke's new weapon and sighting it in. We had our ear protection on and did not hear the beep on our phones."

Ram looked at them. As a sniper he ached to ask what weapon they were trying out. Zeke was also a sniper and was preparing to leave on a mission. He thought what would be an appropriate punishment.

"Since you obviously want to be in the range, you two can clean it from top to bottom, ensuring that all the targets are re-stocked, the cubicles are cleaned and ready for use, the alleys are free of dust, and just for good measure, the fans in the ceiling are dusted and levelled. That is to be completed before your shift. Dismissed."

The men in front of him nodded and as if counting, spun around in perfect unison and marched through the door.

Ram walked out of the room and to Bobby's office, noting that the report from last night's break-in was already on his desk.

He made a note to check on the man in the infirmary and get some information on where he had been inked. He would be following up the store conditions and the tattoo operator's health certificates. He mentally started to plug in a new partner for Andrew Nicols.

He sat down looking at his in-box that was once again over-flowing with paperwork. He hoped that someone from the Core Team came home soon.

~~~o0o~~~

Once again there was a conference call.

"We have less than two weeks before our plan is put into effect. Our sources confirm that Rangeman is providing security, so be very vigilant. Liam has worked in conjunction with their personnel in the past and he states that they can be ruthless in the field. We are depending on him to alert us to any change in plans. He doesn't believe that he has been compromised in any way and covered his tracks sufficiently. The money is in holding and our personnel have been fully briefed on their duties."

The voice added the quote, 'We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children.' (_The American Freedom Party)"_

**_A_/N – this author does not condone the actions of this party but used it in this story for entertainment purposes only. **

**I feel anger and sadness at the events that have occurred in the past few weeks to do with firing weapons at innocent people in my country or in others around the world. My heart goes out to families and friends coping with the loss of a loved one due to these senseless and unnecessary attacks. **

**Myrna **


	15. Chapter 15

**Thanks for the reviews and your support.**

Chapter 15

Stephanie stepped off the plane and headed for the carousel to retrieve her bags. She waved her arm and a red hat porter headed her way and pointing at her bags she walked to the door stepping outside into the smoggy air of New York.

A limo was waiting by the door and Charles was standing by the back door waiting for her to come closer. He opened the door and helped her into the vehicle, while the red cap stowed her bags in the opened trunk, received the tip from Charles and backed away.

Charles closed the door and walked slowly around to the driver's door. It had been very muggy and he was feeling the pains associated with incoming weather. He pulled out into the traffic and headed for the hotel.

"Stephanie, I know you were on the plane really early so I put some coffee and a couple of pastries on the tray. Rangeman delivered your schedule to me and it is on the seat beside you. I have placed myself at yours and Rangeman's service for the entire conference. Your hair appointment for later this afternoon is highlighted with an approximate travel time from the conference site noted."

Stephanie picked up the sheets of paper and quickly perused them. She noted the appointment for today and one for late tomorrow afternoon as well.

"Thank you Charles for all that you are doing for me,"Stephanie spoke. She looked out at the buildings as they drove down the busy street, sipping her coffee.

She had worked hard to free up this week.

She thought back to the Great Bed Race on April 28th. Not knowing what was expected of her, she had come prepared for every eventuality, including a helmet and knee and elbow pads. She had seen other charity bed races and it appeared that the driver was involved in a number of crashes and she wanted to be prepared.

Her team had chuckled at her obvious lack of optimism that they would push her safely to the finish line, but had uproariously laughed at her choice of defensive weaponry. She had bought the biggest water-cannon that she could find in the local toy store and it soon became apparent to the other racers that she was not afraid to use it. Just in case she ran out of water, she was also packing two water pistols in holsters.

They had not won the final race, but they had received the trophy for the most inventive in defense.

As a group they had presented the cheque to the Boys and Girls Clubs from their pledges, helped out no doubt by personal pledges from each of the participants. The President of the local chapter accepting the cheque had looked visibly shaken as she saw the amount. They could now fix the roof, and replace the 15 year old van.

The Kentucky Derby had been a smashing success and she was now busier than ever. Word had leaked out that she had been the successful bid outfitting the ten horse team at both the Festival and the Derby Parade, and many accolades had come her way along with more business.

Charles pulled up at The London and once again, the doorman opened the back door, saluted and held out a gloved hand to help her out. A porter unloaded the trunk with her bags and Charles pulled away after she had walked through the now opened door.

She walked to the counter and a concierge was waiting.

"My name is Stephanie Plum and I have a reservation."

He smiled and nodded at her.

"Welcome to The London Ms. Plum. Your suite is ready and I note your wardrobe has been delivered."

He handed her two key cards and looked at the porter standing behind Stephanie with the bags on his rolling cart.

"Follow Ms. Plum please."

The porter obediently pushed his cart behind Stephanie into the elevator and watched as she pressed the floor, then followed her to her room waiting as she slipped the card into the door opening it with the other hand. He placed her bags just inside the door and touched his hat as he palmed the tip.

Stephanie kicked off her shoes as she closed the door, looking around. Previously she had stayed on the 47th floor and while the room was certainly charming, this was spectacular. It was on the 50th floor and in addition to a king sized bed, there was a room off to the side with couches and chairs and a complete work station. Now THIS was a suite.

Stephanie checked out the bathroom and grinned at the sight of the big beautiful tub. She remembered the last time she had stayed at the hotel. This certainly looked like it was also big enough for two.

She continued her exploration and stepped into a gigantic walk-in closet. She noted that there were garment bags hung up on the rods and each had a note attached to it.

She walked over looking at the cards in the card holders of each bag. Rod had personally printed numbers and which occasion each bag was to be used for, and counting quickly, Stephanie noted that there were more bags than what they had decided. She looked at the last three bags noting that they were included "just because things happen". She smiled. Did he know of her former job where she came home covered in disgusting material sometimes? Had Ella warned him that strange situations, through no fault of her own, happened to her?

She made a mental note to contact Rod to get a bill and at the same time advise him that Hector was in town. When he was ready, she wanted to introduce them to each other. She had a good feeling that her attempt at match-making would work out. If not, they could hopefully still be friends.

Stephanie smiled and walked out of the closet. She headed to her phone. Just as she was about to flip it open, it rang with the batman theme song.

Stephanie caught it before the second ring. "Hey Batman, I just arrived."

Ranger chuckled. He had already received the call from Digger that he had dropped her off. So far, she still had no clue that they knew each other.

"Hey Babe, we are all in New York and have been for a couple of days in meetings and setting up. If you're not too tired, can I come and give you an idea what we are looking at?"

He waited to hear her response. It was still early in the day and the registration would not be commencing for a few hours. That would give her time to get ready and head over.

Stephanie nodded her head then spoke. "Sure, Ranger, I'm in 5010 and thank you for the suite. It is absolutely beautiful."

Ranger murmured. "You're attending a world class conference, Babe. I'll see you in a few."

He did not mention that he was downstairs in the lobby having been dropped off by Hector.

He knocked on the door and waited as Stephanie looked through the peephole. He smiled as she disengaged the solid bar and opened the door. He had cautioned her to always use the security measures when she travelled.

She waited for him to slide in then closed the door, and practically leaped into his arms. They had not seen each other for two weeks and it had been hard to just speak to each other over the phone. There were so many things to talk about but their person-to-person contact was absent and very much missed.

Ranger walked her to the bed. He had missed her as desperately as she had missed him and they shed their clothes almost savagely. Their love making was quick and wild. Laying in the bed, Stephanie played with Ranger's chest muscles watching them twitch. He twirled a lock of her hair around his finger.

Ranger spoke.

"Babe, everything is set and we don't see a threat to you per se. At the same time, we have identified a potential issue that may become a problem."

Stephanie stiffened in spite of herself and Ranger spoke again.

"We believe that there will be some kind of action against a number of African American presenters. We are still trying to track down more information, but it looks like the main summit will be free of any threat. We cannot say anything about the comings and goings of the participants as yet, but we are continuing to gather more information."

Stephanie climbed off the bed and gathered her sheets of Summit information, then crawled back to lay against Ranger again.

She looked at the information sheets she laid on Ranger's chest and with her pen poised she made a mark on three presentations. She had already perused what she really wanted to hear and of those, two of them had piqued her interest. She looked at the third one and mentally moved around how to attend it.

"I can filter in and out of those without any difficulty. They are fairly close to each other and two I had already signed up for. When I register I will just slip my name into the third address."

She looked at the clock radio by the bed.

"Unless you want to have a shower with me, Ranger, I need to start getting ready. I have to register soon and then head off to my hair appointment."

She gulped as Ranger climbed out of bed, picked her up in a fireman's carry and raced her to the shower in the bathroom.

One satisfying shower later she was in the closet changing into her first outfit and Ranger had dressed and left.

Charles beeped that he was downstairs and grabbing her garment bag for the opening address she headed to the elevator.

Charles took the bag from her and placed it in the trunk, to be changed into after her hair and make-up appointment. The salon had a dressing room where she could change and then he would take her back to the Conference Centre for the evening activities.

Charles pulled up to the front entrance. A doorman opened the door to the limo and put his hand out to assist her to exit the car. She walked down the walkway and into the Convention Centre.

There was a person directing traffic guiding the enrollees to this table or that table for their registration package.

Stephanie waited patiently for her turn. She stepped up to the table and the two pleasant looking women looked up at her expectantly.

"My name is Stephanie Plum."

One smiled and handed a registration package to Stephanie as the other lady put a check-mark by her name. She moved off as the lady behind her gave her name. She drifted along with the crowd toward a room. Inside were waiters moving through the crowds with trays of wine, both red and white. Stephanie accepted a glass of red and continued to move throughout the room, listening to the chatter, and the laughs and viewing some hugs and more than a few cheek kisses. She spied a long table by the back wall and walking closer, noted that there were many different kinds of cheeses and dainty crackers to partake of if they so wished. She picked up a napkin and placed a few crackers on it then chose a few cheeses to taste.

She spied Rangemen in attendance dressed in their black uniforms. She heard comments that make her blush with embarrassment for the men or silently cheer when comments were expressed that with men around like that, they felt safe.

She drifted to the sign-up tables and confirmed the presentations she wanted to attend and signed up for a few more after perusing the new list of presenters.

Once again, she drifted through the crowds listening for anything that might signal some kind of trouble or something to be aware of to pass on to Ranger. She walked slowly by him as he stood at one of the doors and deciding that it was time to pull the tiger's tail a bit, did a slow up and down observation of his body. His eyes changed slightly and probably only she would have known he had acknowledged her gaze and that it would be payback time later. Oh my, she loved his payback.

She continued on walking through the crowds of ladies standing and chatting. She had not heard anything suspicious, and looking at her watch began to head for the door. Her hair appointment was soon and she needed to find Charles.

Stephanie stepped out of the car at the entrance to the Conference Center once again but this time there was a definite difference. There was a red carpet to walk on and she felt subconscious as she walked to the door in her formal gown with her hair done up. Her dainty sandals almost made her feet float along the carpet. The entranceway was roped off along the sides and she saw many, many people standing and watching as she walked in. Flashbulbs popped and cell phone cameras clicked. She heard a few 'who is she?' and then one person could be heard, 'I don't know but she must be famous!'.

Stephanie stepped through the door and immediately noticed some Rangeman employees in their formal tuxes standing at the door. She saw more as she moved gracefully as she filtered through the crowd. She spied Ranger in his tux and unconsciously stopped to admire the view in front of her. She just knew that she licked her lips, but catching herself she moved on. Mind you, she saw a number of other women do the same thing.

Taking a flute of champagne from a passing waiter, she sipped to conceal her observations as she moved through the crowd. She heard snippets of conversations here and there, and for the most part, once again it was positive and excited and looking forward to the agenda tomorrow.

She drifted into the main reception area, looking and listening and checking for body language and tension. She saw none that concerned her and decided to just keep mingling and enjoying the experience.

The large doors at one end of the room opened and a flood of women made their way into the banquet room, heading for a seat.

Stephanie took her time since she was attending as a single participant, knowing that she could find a seat at almost any table she wanted.

She gravitated to a table in one corner of the room, choosing to sit with her back to the wall so that she could observe the action better. She sat down and looked around.

She heard a throat clearing and looked toward the noise.

A woman in a formal naval uniform was standing near the table looking at her.

"May I join you?" she asked.

Stephanie smiled and motioned to the seats.

"I would be pleased to share a table with you," she said and the officer sat down to one side of her. She sighed in relief and sipped her champagne.

"This has been a long day and I suspect that the evening will drag on too." She looked at Stephanie and held out her hand.

"My name is Sophia Brown."

Stephanie held out her hand and they shook.

"I am Stephanie Plum, but please call me Steph."

They looked at the crowd of women jockeying for positions as close to the center of the room as possible and both giggled at the same time.

Sophia Brown looked at the mad scramble and chuckled. "You would think that they would learn to move out from the middle. They are always the last to be served, and any experienced speaker will look around the room before looking at them."

Stephanie nodded. She had chosen the wall because she wanted to watch as much as possible, but the reasoning Sophia gave made sense. She sounded like she had attended a lot of formal activities.

They chatted and sipped their drinks, getting to know each other a little more. Stephanie looked at Sophia.

"I signed up for your presentation tomorrow. I wanted to understand the reasoning that women in the military are changing the boundaries in defense."

Sophia smiled at her table-mate. "I normally don't broadcast who I am, but obviously you have read up on the Summit. So, since you know about me, what should I remember about you?"

She raised an eyebrow and smiled at Stephanie.

Stephanie could feel a blush creep up her neck heading to her ears and stammered. "Well, I recently purchased a company that sells equine equipment to ranches and stables."

She proceeded to talk about how the business had changed and while it was profitable taking it to the next step using the information highway had been both fun and profitable.

Sophia nodded her head. There were so many new and exciting adventures out there and it was the young and young at heart who would be leading the charge.

Their table began to fill and each person introduced themselves and a small description of their profession or their passion.

They watched as the head table arrived and were seated. The noise quieted down as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening stood up, looked around and spoke.

"Welcome to the 2014 Forbes Women's Summit. Thank you for your interest in our mission to bring knowledge and awareness to the businesswomen of today and tomorrow. Before we go much further, I propose we have something to eat and then get down to business."

As if there was a button pressed, the doors opened and a swarm of wait staff materialized with plates of appetizers. As Sophia had predicted, the outer walls were served after the head table and then the wait staff moved closer and closer to the middle of the room. A number of women looked disappointed, some looked angry, and some were resigned to being served last.

A waiter placed the small appetizer plates in front of Sophia and Stephanie along with their other table mates. Stephanie looked down. The presentation was, of course, world class, but a stick of celery cut down the spine to resemble tall waving grass and a small piece of what looked like cold salmon with a half a cherry tomato would not take long to digest.

She looked at Sophia and they both smirked at the same time.

Once again the doors opened and the staff poured in with full sized plates placing them in front of each attendee. This looked a bit more filling. There looked to be a stuffed chicken breast with creamy white cheese . Beside it was a half a stuffed potato that looked to have been broiled at the last minute giving it a golden brown appearance. In a small dish was a house salad.

The ladies at the table made light conversation as they ate. It was very relaxed and friendly. There appeared to be no animosity to anybody else.

Stephanie excused herself after eating her main meal and made her way to the washroom to freshen up her make-up before the dessert arrived and the speeches began. As she waited patiently in line she could overhear the minor complaints coming from the ladies around her. There was the usual myriad of how small the portions were, their unhappiness in how the meal was served, or the delay in getting their food.

There were accolades at the same time for the obviously professional atmosphere on the Summit to date. Some of the ladies commented on the goody bags full of gift certificates and samples they had received at the registration desk. Some were making plans for drinks after the evening festivities concluded. Some had complained that the shoes they had chosen for that evening were totally unsuitable for any period standing, or walking.

It was the usual comments and Stephanie let them wash over her without concern. She was listening for the whisper of something about to happen, or anger that this or that person had dared to sit at THEIR table.

Stephanie made her way back to her table. Sophia was sitting back and watching the crowd with a practised eye, also gauging the atmosphere. Stephanie looked at Sophia. At first glance she looked a lot like Angela Bassett, but as she drew closer, she could see that the fine lines near her eyes only made her look even more distinguished, confirming that she had risen to the rank by a lifetime in the medical field

There was a dessert in front of each plate and Stephanie smiled that it was crème brule, one of her favorite desserts.

The wait staff were quickly retrieving all the dishes and the head table was getting ready for the last part of the evening.

Stephanie noticed that Rangeman had continued to mingle in the room and were speaking into mikes attached to a jacket or a lapel. She watched as all of a sudden they began to converge on one table as angry voices rose.

Without making a scene they escorted a couple of women from the room, surrounding them so that they could not be seen by fellow attendees. The door opened and the ladies were led out.

The MC stood up and spoke into the mike.

"Ladies, thank you once again for your presence at the Forbes Women's Summit 2014. May I introduce the head table starting with the farthest on my left. Esther Goreman is the Honorary Chairman for the Summit this year. She brings a wealth of knowledge from working with troubled youth in the correctional system.

Next is Naomi Witherspoon, who took on the responsibility of the logistics of such a large undertaking. Naomi comes to us on loan from McCauley and Maguire, a well-respected law firm here in New York.

Seated to my immediate left is Andrea Marcotte. Andrea is the owner of Barney's, a well known clothier here in New York.

To my far right is Leslie Durham, commercial artist for the City of New York. Leslie brings her artistic skills and designed the posters hung throughout the center.

Next to Leslie is Tanya Lyons. She is one of the Supreme Court Judges in the State of New York. Tanya has been practicing on the bench for 35 years.

To my immediate right is Alexandra Hoskins. Alexandra has taken on the responsibilities as my right hand person. If anyone was unable to contact me, Alexandra would be the voice on the line handling any problems or questions you might have.

And last, my name is Zoe Abernathy. I am honored to be the MC for this evening as well as Executive Director for the 2014 Forbes Women's Summit. When I am not working on the Summit, you can find me at the Modern Museum of Art where I am presently employed as Head Curator.

Ladies, the head table."

The applause was loud and instantaneous. The head table nodded their thanks and the clapping became quieter as Zoe looked like she wanted to continue.

"Our guest speaker tonight is non other than Ariana McIntyre. Ariana is a gifted musician with the Cleveland Orchestra and tonight she has graciously consented to give the opening address. Ladies, I was not supposed to see, but I note that she also brought her violin with her so if we ask nicely, maybe she could be convinced to play us something from their production 'The Cunning Little Vixen' which is currently performing.

Without further ado, Ariana McIntyre."

There was thunderous applause. Ariana stood up and walked to the dais and stood at the microphone. She looked out at the audience. Ariana's story was well known in the music community. She had fled with her family from Romania when she was but four years old and had drifted from country to country.

She spoke of seeing how women were treated in various countries and how they had tried to improve the lives of themselves and their families under the country rules governing women. She spoke of the inroads in music with respect to females. She spoke of her experience now as the lead violinist in the Cleveland Orchestra. She spoke of her new country and how proud she had been when she finally became a citizen. As she finished her speech, she walked back to her chair and picked up her violin case and opened it up. She looked out at the assembled crowd and said.

"This was written in 1924 by Leos Janacek. It is about love, peril, freedom and family."

Without further ado, she put her violin to her chin and began to play. Her bow flew over the strings and then caressed them. She played with fire and hope and desire and her music filled the banquet room with sound.

As she lowered her bow, the ladies in the room jumped to their feet for a standing ovation that almost shook the walls. Ariana looked both surprised and pleased at the audience. She bowed and walked back to her seat, near the exit.

Zoe Abernathy stood up as the noise began to abate.

"There are very few spaces to sign up for the different addresses tomorrow so if you have not put your name down, please do so before leaving.

Tomorrow, for those who are early birds, or too eager to sleep in, there will be refreshments and breakfast dainties in the main lobby. The first discussions start promptly at 9 am, so please do not plan on being late.

Thank you for such a lively start to our conference, ladies. Enjoy the rest of your evening and I hope to speak to you before the Summit ends."

With that, the head table guests stood up and filed down the steps and began to mingle in the crowd.

Stephanie stood up with the other table mates and spoke.

"Thank you for such an enjoyable meal. I look forward to speaking with you again tomorrow."

She looked at Sophia just as Zoe Abernathy walked toward them.

Sophia smiled and spoke.

"Congratulations on what I expect will be an exciting conference."

Zoe looked at Sophia and grinned. "Admiral, thank you for consenting to attend and being called upon at the last minute to present. I understand that your schedule is very full right now and I very much appreciate you taking the time to attend."

Sophia nodded her head. She motioned for Stephanie to come closer and spoke.

"Zoe, may I introduce Stephanie Plum. We've had a very enjoyable evening getting to know each other. Stephanie, this is one of my best friends from Spelman College. While I was slaving away in pre-med she was enjoying a much easier life sculpting naked male models in the art history college."

Zoe sputtered and then glared at her friend Sophia.

"What my friend Sophia is trying to say is that she was learning about the male body by looking in a book and I was capturing the male models and dragging them home to meet her in person."

Stephanie laughed as she saw that the two friends had started to kid each other, apparently not for the first time. She smiled and prepared to leave, figuring that they wanted to get together for a visit.

Zoe looked at Stephanie. "Sophia is usually sitting back and observing and rarely talks to anyone at a function such as this. If you would like to join us, we would love to take you out to a club that we hang out in when we are both together in town. I for one would like to change into something more comfortable and if you want to go back to your place and change we could pick you up."

Stephanie looked to see if Sophia was in agreement and she nodded and smiled. She looked around and could not see Ranger in the room and thinking quickly spoke.

"I am at The London and if you would allow me to tag along I would love to join you."

Zoe looked at Sophia for her thoughts and said. "It is 8 o'clock", and grinning at Sophie, said, "that's 2000 to you. We could spin by and pick you up about 930, Stephanie then take you out to see what New York really looks like at night."

Stephanie was excited and her face showed her emotions.

"I can give you my cell number and I will meet you outside." They all pulled out their phones and typed in each other's numbers.

Stephanie received a beep on her phone. She looked down and read that Charles would be arriving to pick her up shortly.

Looking at her new friends and acquaintances, she grinned and spoke. "So, how does one dress in New York at night?"

They chuckled at her question but understood the innuendo.

Zoe spoke up. "Stephanie, we want to have fun and relax so business casual would be fine. The club we like the most is not pretentious."

Stephanie nodded and stepped away. She turned back at the door and watched the two friends still talking and laughing.

Ranger met her as she was walking to the front.

"You never disappoint, Babe," as he shook his head and walked away.

**A/N – author flipped a coin; heads, a chapter tomorrow, tails, no. Coin flipped four times, heads each time. I guess there will be a chapter tomorrow.**

**Myrna**


	16. Chapter 16

**Thank you for reading and reviewing. We make no money and our payment is reviews. Thank you Janet for letting us play in your playground with these amazing characters.**

Chapter 16

Stephanie was standing just inside the doorway waiting for her new friends to pull up. She spied an SUV pull up and the window lower and Sophia waved her over. Stephanie jumped into the back seat and put on her seatbelt, listening as Rappers Delight blasted through the speakers.

Stephanie looked at the two women in the front seat with the music blaring. She was having a bit of difficulty coming to grips that women their age were singing along and pantomiming with a mic.

They cruised down the streets as more songs played. Stephanie watched as Rob Zombie's Dracula came on and their heads started to bob with the music. She had her camera in her hand and was subtly taking a video of the two crazy ladies in front. Hail to the King came on next and Stephanie just sat with her mouth open in shock.

Zoe pulled up to a club and they all climbed out. A valet jumped in and the vehicle disappeared down the road. The three ladies made their way to the entranceway and a doorman stood guard.

Zoe smiled as she recognized the man. "Hi Igor. It's been awhile but we're happy to see you again."

He smiled. "How nice of you ladies to join us this evening. We have your reservation and please make yourselves at home. I assume you want your usual table?"

Stephanie watched as Zoe pressed some money into the doorman's hand and passed through.

Inside it was almost too bright. There were strobe balls spinning in the ceiling, and mirrors on a number of walls. The tables were certainly dated and well worn. The club chairs had a comfortable look and Zoe and Sophia sailed purposefully to one table in a corner with Stephanie rushing to follow. There was piped in music and it looked almost like a corner bar in a small town.

They each took a chair and sat down. A waitress materialized at their elbow immediately and they all ordered a Corona. Being a Wednesday, the bar was not overly full but there were enough patrons at other tables to have that welcoming feel to it but not too loud and full that it was difficult to talk.

The girl was quick with the service and Zoe handed her some money stating that the first round was on her. The two ladies had visibly relaxed in the almost friendly and intimate atmosphere.

Stephanie looked around then at the two.

"OK, this is obviously a favorite place. There must be a story."

Zoe looked at Sophia and they both laughed.

"We met here the first week of college. We had both 'convinced' the doorman that we were of age and feeling pretty cocky we had a couple of drinks before realizing that as non-drinkers we were not holding our liquor as well as we had hoped. We wound up taking a cab back to the campus together vowing that we were both swearing off alcohol until we were much older."

Stephanie was laughing at them. Having gone to college too, the story sounded very, very familiar. She giggled then spoke. "And how long before you tried again?

This time Sophia smiled and spoke.

"We figured it was a one off, so gave it another shot the next weekend." At that they all burst out laughing.

Stephanie admitted. "It took me about two months to figure out that I was not the drinker I envisioned myself to be. To this day, I am considered to be a cheap drunk."

All three ladies lifted their Corona's in the air and tapped necks before taking a drink. They sat in the corner and chatted and laughed and drank a few more.

Sophia looked at her watch and groaned.

"I, for one need to go to bed soon. I have to get up early and make a few calls before I can head in."

Zoe nodded and they finished their drinks. Zoe had switched to coffee after the first beer since she was driving. Gathering up their coats and bags they stood up to leave, putting a nice tip on the table for their hard-working server.

They headed for the door and the doorman called on his cell for their vehicle to be brought around. They jumped in and took off back to Stephanie's hotel. Dropping her off they accelerated away.

Stephanie walked into the lobby and pressed the button for the elevator then entering when it opened. She pressed the button for the 50th floor and walked out. Her room was just down the hall but having turned the wrong way out of the elevator she wandered up and down the hall when she finally spied the number and stopped.

She fumbled for her card, dropping her purse and the contents on the floor by the door. She bent over to scoop it all up but feeling suddenly dizzy sank to her knees to gather it all back in. Placing her hand against the hallway wall she stood up and with the card in her hand she slid it in the slot. Instead of the expected green light there was a red light barring her way. She pushed the card in again. The red light blinked again. Stephanie stared at the door willing it to open on its own, growling at the indignity of it all. She tried again and the red light mocked her with its' refusal to open as commanded. She hated card locks almost as much as alarm key pads.

Imagine her surprise when the door swung open. The light was on and standing in the doorway stood Ranger.

He watched as she shuffled in, dropping her bag on the counter by the door and flinging her coat over top, kicking off her shoes and flopping on the bed spread-eagled.

He closed and engaged the lock all the while watching as she lay there not moving.

Ranger raised one eyebrow at her waiting for an explanation.

Stephanie opened her eyes making sure that she was not dreaming. He was a bit on the fuzzy side but she was now on a mission. She rolled off the side of the bed and stood up, weaving slightly.

She walked to him and put her arms around his neck, giving him a slobbery kiss meant for his lips but missing the mark and hitting his cheek instead. He could smell the beer on her breath and wrapped his arms around her. Her eyes were starting to look a bit bloodshot.

Ranger shook his head. Stephanie could not, and he surmised that she had never been able to hold her liquor. He had received a report from Igor that three ladies had been at his club, one younger and two older women. He gave the name on the reservation and Ranger noted that somehow Stephanie had joined a group they needed to keep an eye on. Rangeman provided security for the Nightingale Club near the campus and Ranger had been surprised that they had shown up there, but Igor had explained that the two ladies liked to frequent the club now and then. It almost looked like they were walking down memory lane. They always sat at the same table, drank a few drinks and then left. They were never seen dancing with anyone, were very polite and gave great tips.

Stephanie spoke with a bit of a slur.

"Just the man I wanted to see. I need to pee and then you can have your wicked way with me."

Ranger guided her to the bathroom and closed the door behind her listening as she did her business and then turned on the shower. He waited patiently listening to see how long she was going to be. He was afraid that she might drown in there and listened for any untoward noises. The shower was turned off and way too soon she walked out of the bathroom weaving slightly with her hair in a towel and another around her.

Ranger maneuvered her to the side of the bed and pulled down the covers, sitting her down, then he unwrapped the towel from her head noting that she had not even attempted to dry her hair. Tomorrow would be a nightmare if he did not at least attempt to partially dry it and with one hand he held her upright and the other he squeezed dry her curls. Then he slipped a Rangeman t-shirt over her head. She was now starting to sway a bit and he helped her to lay down.

Ranger took the damp towels and walking back into the bathroom, tossed them into the sink. He headed back to the other side of the bed and chucking his clothes quickly, he climbed into bed and looked her way.

Stephanie was already sleeping and he smiled as he pulled her gently closer to him. He kissed her just under her ear and fell asleep holding his Babe.

Morning found Stephanie laying on top of Ranger and he watched as she came slowly awake, her face scrunched up in pain. He had a glass of water and some pain reliever on the night table handy for that moment when she would realize how bad it was going to be to open her eyes.

Stephanie groaned and put her hands on both sides of her head. She buried her face in Ranger's chest trying to keep the light out of her eyes.

Ranger slid out from under her and spoke.

"Babe, you absolutely cannot hold your liquor. I know that you only had three Coronas. Here is some pain reliever and some water. There is no McDonalds anywhere near here for The Cure and I am afraid you will have to do this the old fashioned way."

She took one hand off the side of her head and held it out, waiting for Ranger to drop the tablets in her hand. She guided them to her mouth then reached out again for the water. Stephanie handed back the empty glass and took her pillow placing it over her head.

Ranger could hear muffled speaking and leaned down.

"I would so like to blame you, Ranger Manoso for this, but unfortunately this is all on me. I knew not to have that third one. I just hope that I can get through the day."

She moaned again and tried to hide under the covers.

Ranger chuckled softly and taking the edge of the covers, he ripped them back, leaving her uncovered. She squealed at the sudden chilliness and reached around blindly trying to find them again.

Ranger stood up and came around to her side.

"Babe, you need a shower, and you need to get dressed. You only have two hours to get ready and get there. Charles is picking you up at 8:30 which means you need to be at the front door in one and one half hours."

He physically scooped her up bridal style and marched into the bathroom, turning on the shower with one hand. He waited for it to get warm then set her in under the spray and closed the door.

Stephanie stepped out and glared but she looked a little better. He jumped in and took a quick shower as she was toweling off and getting ready to work on her hair.

Ranger came into the bathroom fully dressed and gave her a kiss on the top of her head, then spoke.

"Babe, I need to go. I'll be keeping an eye out for you and if you need me, call me on my cell. I want you to be safe and at the same time, have fun. I'll check in with you when I can."

With that, he disappeared out of the room and Stephanie could hear the outer door to the suite close.

She continued to get ready for the days' activities, looking at the agenda. The throbbing in her head was starting to mellow. Finishing in the bathroom she headed to the closet once again, choosing the next outfit.

Stephanie managed to make it to the front door and Charles was waiting to take her back to the Summit.

He pulled away and she noticed that once again he had provided coffee and two more Boston cremes.

By the time they had pulled up to the entrance, her headache was almost a distant memory and her body was now ready to face the day with the tasty sugary treats in her stomach.

Stephanie walked into the building and headed to a large group of women chatting.

She then joined another group and listened to the small talk. She walked to the table with the carafe's of coffee and poured herself a cup, mixing it to the right consistency. She eyed the dainties but knowing that she had already had two, exercised great resolve in foregoing a third treat.

She happened to be watching as two men bringing out fresh supplies looked at each other then nodded. Her brow furrowed. They had come out the same door so why did they need to acknowledge each other that way?

She spied Les at the door. He was looking around but appearing unobtrusive, or at least as much as a 6' 4" handsome Latino man in black could. He looked at her as she stared at him then the two waiters, then back. He gave a barely perceptible nod and spoke into his mic. Two Rangemen walked into the room and quietly and very secretively moved to the two staff members, speaking to them in low tones. They looked surprised and it appeared as though they did not want to follow directions. Two more Rangemen walked up and the small group moved toward the side door and out of the line of sight.

Les nodded very slightly at Stephanie and she walked away.

Stephanie headed for her first discussion. It was an address by a college professor from the Harper School of Business and was titled, How to Grow your Business Without Your Relationships Dying.

The discussion was lively and the participants in the group were motivated and the hour flew by. Stephanie had been jotting down notes and had added what she thought were positive comments and interesting points of view.

She prepared for her next discussion. She was looking forward to hearing what Rear Admiral Sophia Brown had to say.

She made sure to not sit in the middle of the room as Sophia walked in. She smirked a little as she saw that Stephanie was sitting off to the side, able to view everyone from her vantage point. Sophia was wearing her service blues and the medals on her tunic shone in the lights. She carried herself with an ease that spoke of her many years in the military

The next hour was filled with more questions and answers than lecturing. Admiral Brown had been in the Navy for almost 30 years and the Navy had financed her medical education. She had served in theatre during a number of conflicts after women had been allowed to serve near the front. Her list of honors and awards were plentiful and quite impressive, yet she glossed over her accomplishments and spoke with a fervor and a love of her chosen profession. As a black woman in an elevated position of power, she spoke of her feeling the need to work to a higher standard. She felt that she was being compared on a different scale than any of her male counterparts and how she had had to combat that belief everywhere she turned. She admitted that she still encountered that skepticism.

Sophia Brown looked over the assembled ladies.

"I am proud of my accomplishments and the true friends that I have gained over the years. I look back on my career and hope that I have contributed to not just the advancement of black women in the military, but the advancement of women in general in operating in forward areas of combat. While it is not for the faint of heart, there is a feeling of achievement that I was able to treat and return home or back into combat soldiers of all races, creeds and gender without bias. Soldiers who wound up on my operating table weren't looking to see if I was male or female, but they were hoping for a surgeon who was skilled enough to do their job."

Admiral Sophia Brown stopped talking. Stephanie was one of the first women to stand up and give her an ovation. The other ladies scrambled to their feet and joined in. Sophia looked surprised at the rush of congratulations. She stepped away from the microphone and moved into the room, shaking hands and speaking to different people.

She finally made her way to Stephanie. Her eyes twinkled and she spoke.

"I assume that you had coffee and Advil for breakfast this morning, Steph? Zoe and I felt bad that we drove you back to your hotel and did not make sure you made it to your room safely. You were fine and then you just... weren't, but we only noticed when you jumped out of the vehicle."

Steph grimaced. "I made it to my room just fine but I had a bit of a problem with a door. It and I were having a disagreement about which end of the card to insert to disengage the lock, but we came to an agreement, eventually."

She looked at Sophia. "Brown is a popular name."

Sophie shrugged. "I come from a long line of Browns who have served through the years. I hear that I have a cousin who served but we have not seen each other for a good number of years. I came home on leave for a reunion and heard that someone had joined. He's quite a lot younger than I am."

Stephanie kept her thoughts to herself. Brown was a popular name and it could be someone else.

She looked at the time on her cell phone. It was time for a quick break then another lecture before lunch.

She wandered out to the snack area, feeling the need for something sweet to keep alert. Once again she was wandering around, listening and watching for subtle hints that all was not well. Once again she zoned in on the wait staff. Her spidey sense was starting to ping. Unfortunately she could not zero in on a problem but she felt unease setting in.

Stephanie stepped into an empty room and pulled out her phone. She phoned Ranger and waited for him to pick up. His phone went to voicemail and she spoke, watching the door to make sure she was still alone.

"Ranger, I cannot see anything, but I have a feeling there is something setting up. Les had two wait staff taken out and I think that you should lean on them a bit."

She hung up and walked out of the room, once again mingling with the crowd of ladies. They began to head to their next lectures.

Stephanie stepped in, looking around. She could feel the tension in the room the minute she walked in. The room was divided with half the ladies on one side and half on the other. They appeared to have drawn sides before the lecture had even started.

Stephanie looked at the pamphlet in her hand looking for a clue. The lecture was titled 'Barefoot and Pregnant, Have We Evolved?'

She held the pamphlet in front of her and picked up her phone. She pressed the one button Ranger had told her to use in extreme circumstances only. It was patched into Rangeman New York and Hector was manning the control centre. This could escalate really quickly and this many women in a screaming and cat fight encounter would of course bring bad press to the Summit.

She sat down by the door and waited. The door opened and Ranger and three other Rangemen stepped in, taking in the scene in front of them. She was watching Ranger's face and without a word, but a few hand motions, the men spread out in the room, taking on postures of extreme alertness. Their eyes literally looked at each person, almost daring them to start something so they could move in.

The ladies literally cringed at the new atmosphere. They looked at each other and turned stony-faced to the dais where the presenter was standing, waiting.

"Good Morning ladies. My name is Mildred Ahenakew. I note by the obvious tension in this room that my title is sure to generate some real discussion of women and their evolution from stay-at-home moms to the women of today."

She looked around at the faces.

She continued.

"My mom was a stay-at-home mother her whole life. She cooked and cleaned and nurtured us children so that we would be able to make our own way in the world. To her, education was everything. She never went to school past Grade 4 and yet many years later, on a dare she took the MENSA tests and scored high enough that she was accepted immediately, which she never did. I asked her what she would have liked to do if she had had the chance and she replied that she had always wanted to fly a plane, not ride one, but fly it. On her 60th birthday, I made her wish come true. She flew a plane around our small town and out over the ocean, then back. Her instructor was none other than a really good friend of mine, a test pilot for NASA, Jess Rodriguez. Sadly my mother passed away just a few months after that but the pictures of her in the cockpit of that plane sat on her bedside table as she succumbed to the cancer attacking her body."

Mildred touched a tissue to each eye then continued.

"Stay at home moms are as important as the most influential statesman in the world. They have a job to oversee, to plan a budget, to provide transportation, to supervise multiple scenarios, to slide in and assist where needed without overstepping a position of authority, to learning how to barter and discuss without heat topics both domestic and foreign. They must be knowledgeable about meteorological events and plan agricultural crops large and small taking into account weather and wind patterns. They must be discerning shoppers to justify the prices at one store versus travelling to many stores to save a buck. They must have medical knowledge to differential a lonely heart hurt to something more serious. They must be strong with the 'no blood, no bandaid' rule as their baby scrapes themselves for the first or thousandth time."

She looked out at the women who sat transfixed as she stood there.

"I have studied women who had very high positions of power in companies so large that the employees numbered in the hundreds or thousands. I have watched them move heaven and earth to improve something only to see it collapse in front of them due to one tiny minuscule detail that was out of their hands. I have seen them step back and take the time they needed to once again forge into the lion's den or divest themselves and leave permanently. These are the women I worry about. They want to be there, but something or someone is holding them back. Are they happy 'staying at home' looking after their children wondering what to do tomorrow that will make them want to get out of bed?"

She stopped, and put both hands on the dais and looked out.

"I want to discuss how to get people to find their spark again. Is it part-time, flexible hours, working from home, or travelling to places on a retreat to clear their minds?"

The room started to buzz with ideas and thoughts. The men looked at Ranger and at his nod, they moved slowly back to the door and left. Very few people even noticed their absence.

Stephanie stood up and slid out the door with Ranger behind her. He guided her to an empty room and put his arms around her.

"Thanks Babe. And that's why you were so integral to this operation. We would have had no idea until the screaming and physical action attracted attention."

She looked at him as he rubbed her arms up and down. He could see that she was still thinking about something.

"Ranger, did you get my message? I am still one hundred percent sure that something hinkey is going on. I am getting it near a number of the wait staff, not everyone, but some of them."

She pulled her pamphlet out of her purse and pointed to two asterisks she had made.

"There are only two times where wait staff is being used, lunch and the final banquet at the end. Is there going to be cameras or any media present at either of these?"

Ranger nodded his head and pointed to the last asterisk.

"We have security set up for Dari Alexander to attend the final meal and she is broadcasting from the foyer. They are setting up the cameras as we speak."

~~~o0o~~~

Stephanie spied Les passing around a picture to the Rangemen and motioning here and there. He was on his mic and she guessed that he was talking to Hector.

Ram stood by his side looking around. He too was checking each face as they walked by. As a sniper he had a keen eye for minute detail and Stephanie could almost see him as he looked at each participant with the idea that someone was wandering around in disguise.

She walked away from them, and headed for a washroom. She had a feeling that she was missing something and however she could help, she was willing to do it.

After doing her business and washing her hands she took lots of time touching up her make-up and fixing her hair.

She noticed a locker in the cleaning room with some cardboard peeking out of it.

Looking carefully around to see that she was alone in the bathroom, she sidled into the locker area and pulled on the cardboard. The locker door popped opened and out fell a number of placards.

**I will post another chapter on Monday. Have a good Father's Day for those that can or will acknowledge it.**

**Myrna**


	17. Chapter 17

**So, I've thanked Janet Evanovich for borrowing her characters, I've thanked you the readers for reading and reviewing, I've thanked Megan for beta'ing, what else? Oh, you want a chapter too? Silly me!**

Chapter 17

The Summit was powering down as everyone was rushing off to get ready for the final activity on the agenda.

Stephanie slipped into the limo and Charles sped away. She was taking a fast shower at her hotel and grabbing her last formal on the way to the hair appointment. She looked down at her outfit. It had a wrinkled look and she mentally thought of her 'extra' outfits. There was a business casual outfit with slacks and a cute jacket and another pair of those fabulous pumps that Latisha had found for her.

Charles waited patiently in the loading zone. He was on his phone co-ordinating with Rangeman how to get as many people to various places as he could. It was going to be tight but the payment at the end would more than make up for his long days. He was having fun and so far Stephanie still had not twigged on that he knew the men of Rangeman.

Stephanie rushed out. Her schedule was a bit overlapping and people were depending on her to get a move on.

She jumped out of the car with her garment bag in her hand and rushed into the salon. They were waiting for her and she sat down ready to have a final pampering. Giselle chattered the whole time, giving details of how many people knew about the Summit and wanting details on any famous people who had been in the salon for styles. Professionally the operators had not divulged anything but in the back room there was a list of who had been in for appointments. It was a very important list and one to be kept well guarded.

Stephanie let her talk getting a word in edgewise now and then. Her mind was still digesting the last lecture she had attended.

She had been looking forward to this one most of all. They had discussed the new and exciting world of internet businesses and Stephanie's hand was still aching from the jot notes she had scribbled down. She had verbalized some observations as an internet company owner and they had debated for the entire hour how to expand, evolve and/or learn to step back and let the customers come to her. Stephanie figured that she had much to digest and chew on. She had asked for and received the presenter's email address and wanted to continue to touch base with her.

Giselle put the final touches on her hair and then Erin took over to do her face and nails. Stephanie stood up and headed for the dressing room.

She emerged and the ladies stopped what they were doing to watch as she walked out of the dressing room. She held herself with grace and walked to the door, thanking everyone as she exited. Giselle followed her with her garment bag and waited. Charles was standing by the door and opening it, he waited patiently for her to slide into the back. Thanking Giselle for all her help, he carefully set the garment bag in the trunk and walked around to the driver's door and climbed in, putting on his seatbelt and opening up the privacy glass at the same time.

"Steph, we will be waiting in line to drop you off. This is a tightly correographed affair and it is carefully timed that limos arrive in a timely manner. There will be a doorman who will open the door. Wait for about a half a minute after he opens the door before getting out. The anticipation by the crowd makes it even more interesting and is to be cherished. I guarantee that you will be photographed and have many compliments shouted on your beautiful dress and yourself. Enjoy the moment, Steph."

With that, he pulled into traffic and made his way to the Convention Centre. As Charles had said, he was cued into a line and they crept forward. That gave Stephanie time to look through the smoked glass of the window gazing at the crowds even so far back from the entrance watching. Little children were standing there waving at the big cars as they crept along. The closer they got to the main steps, the more people there were waiting and watching.

Finally Charles spoke.

"Steph, we're next. Remember to have fun."

He pulled up to the steps and a doorman in a formal tux with white gloves reached out to open the door. Stephanie waited even though she wanted to jump out, controlling her breathing and relaxing her face.

She lifted one leg over the door sill and placed it on the sidewalk, then the other leg, sliding gracefully out of the car. Flashbulbs almost blinded her and she heard many exclamations how elegant she looked. There were comments from everything from her hair to her shoes. She heard one male shout out asking if she would marry him! That got a slight chuckle from the crowd. She walked slowly and gracefully to the front entrance concentrating on not tripping and performing a face plant at this most inopportune time.

She walked into the building and who should be standing there but Ranger dressed in his formal tux. He nodded at her and winked as she continued on her way. She passed a number of other attendees and headed for a spot near the beverage serving island. There was a Rangeman stationed there and barely giving her an almost nonexistent nod, his face became impassive once again.

She looked around. The room was more than half full and people were milling around and chatting. It was very formal but the tones were friendly and a little less reserved than the evening before. An accredited cameraman was circulating among the guests and many pictures were being taken with singles or groups of women together posing for the cameraman.

Stephanie continued to circulate, observing and enjoying the atmosphere and drinking it all in. It had been such an excellent conference and she was sad to see it officially end, but at the same time she needed to get back and check on her business. So far she had not been invited to attend any of the after summit meetings and while a bit disappointed, she realized that she was a newcomer. Maybe one had to be a returning attendee to be invited to the meetings the next day. She made a mental note to ask Zoe if she saw her this evening. Maybe she had missed a sign up sheet and if so, wondered how she could get her name on it.

She wondered where Charles had taken her laptop to. She assumed it was at Rangeman but had not even thought about it for a couple of days. It was actually a relief not to have it constantly alerting her to emails and inquiries. She realized that she had really enjoyed the break and the time off. She vowed to start putting unavailable dates in her calendar before she burned out. That had been another suggestion from one lecture.

She saw ladies from some of the lectures she attended and they spoke for a few minutes wishing each other well as they re-integrated themselves back into their working lives. Some were handing out emails or twitter addresses but most of them just murmured best wishes in a business or a lifestyle.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Les filtering through the crowd. It looked like he was just there to provide general security but Stephanie maneuvered around and watched his eyes. He was hunting for someone. He spoke into his mic on his lapel and headed in a new direction. She watched as he almost meandered through the ladies, but she could see him assess and confirm that who he was searching for was still loose in the room.

Stephanie watched as he suddenly straightened up and began to move faster, politely moving around ladies or sidestepping them as they drifted through the room. She looked where he was watching and noted a rather slender, almost young woman who was acting in a nervous manner suddenly change direction from where she had been heading and head for one of the side doors. Stephanie watched as she sped up as she got closer to the door, looking back as she saw Les closing in. He was on his mic and a number of Rangemen were angling in to head her off. Stephanie saw the door open and observed she walked out with Les speeding up to get closer. The door closed and Stephanie saw no more.

Just then the doors to the banquet hall opened and once again there was a rush for the door. This time, the outside tables filled up first leaving the inside tables last to be occupied. Stephanie knew that Sophia would give her a smirk if she saw her but she sailed to a table directly in front of the head table right in front of the microphone with her back to the speaker. She would be hard pressed not to have a crick in her neck from craning her head and neck around but she wanted to keep an eye out for trouble.

Her table mates introduced themselves and once again there was polite chatter. Most of the women were commenting on the discussions and lectures they had attended and a number of them expressed the desire to be able to return next year.

Stephanie watched as the doors opened and once again the wait staff emerged with appetizer dishes. This time Stephanie had had a snack at the hair salon while getting prepped so she was not feeling the need to wolf down the tiny portion.

She spied Sophia sitting with her back to the wall in a far corner and gave a small head nod and it was returned. She noticed that there were a number of tables which only held black women and her brow knitted in worry. Was there some kind of discrimination going on here? She looked around and a number of tables were filled with women of other color and race. She looked at Ram who was standing fairly close to her and letting her eyes drag to the tables in question, she looked back at him with a barely noticeable question mark? He looked over and noticed too, then putting his mouth to his mic he spoke into it. A Rangeman began to move slowly along the wall until he was stationed close to the tables.

The main meal was served then the dessert. Coffee and tea were being poured and the dishes were being removed. It all looked like everything was going according to clockwork.

Zoe Abernathy stood up and walked to the microphone and waited for the noise to diminish before she spoke.

"Once again, please thank the head table for their hard work making this Summit the success it has been. This time ladies, stand up when I call your names so that you can be individually recognized for your efforts. She reeled off the names: Esther Goreman, Naomi Witherspoon, Andrea Marcotte, Leslie Durham, Tanya Lyons, Alexandra Hoskins." She looked at the audience. "Ladies, the head table."

The applause was even louder than the first time they had been introduced. The ladies sat down as the applause finally began to abate.

Just as Zoe was about to speak once again, the doors slammed open and a number of men waving placards rushed in shouting. Rangemen raced to the area and tried to quell the noisemakers. They were dressed in waiter's uniforms and some in maintenance uniforms. As they were muscled out the door, the women could hear them still shouting sayings like, "Put America First", and "No More Immigrants", "Trim Government Fat", "End Left Wing Oppression" and "Down with Gays".

Two women had followed and rushed to the tables that Stephanie had identified. They had spray paint cans in their hands and were shaking them as they ran. The Rangeman who had been standing there tackled one and his backup was able to get in front of the ladies before they were sprayed. His tux was ruined but he too had the woman on the ground to be restrained.

Cameramen from the networks tried for pictures of the ruckus but they found themselves with a very burly Rangeman standing in front of the cameras blocking their shots. The reporters were being escorted out another door and silence descended on the room.

Zoe Abernathy stood up and looked around.

"Ladies, unfortunately this drives home the point that we are still targets for people who do not wish us to take a more active part in the planning for the future in this country. I hope that what we have taken from this Summit will overshadow what has just happened. We are becoming a force to be reckoned with and a voice that wants to and needs to be heard. While it would have been wonderful to have our Presenters stand up and give a few words, I feel the need to close this Summit so that everyone can leave safely and return to your homes in comfort. As for the disruption, ..." and she paused looking out at the room.

"Ladies, we can do this a number of ways. Either you can go out and stand in front of the press and tell what happened and bemoan the fact that you as women were verbally attacked, splashing what has been a very good Summit to all of America, or you can refuse to answer any questions the press shout your way. For all those who do not believe that they need their faces on the ten o'clock news, we have a back exit and you will be allowed to leave that way."

She looked at Alexandra Hoskins who nodded and stood up. She pulled her phone from her clutch and started to make some calls.

A number of ladies chose to leave through the back door, Sophia Brown included. Stephanie could see her point in not wanting to be photographed, and she had a feeling that she should stay with her. She moved to stand by Sophia and they nodded at each other as other ladies lined up at one or the other doors to leave.

Unfortunately it had ended on a very strange note, but at least nobody had been hurt. The front door opened and a number of women led the way out, walking past all kinds of flashing lightbulbs and reporters shouting questions in their faces. They moved as a group and as the limos pulled up, women jumped in and filled a limo to capacity and it took of then another took its place and the same thing happened.

Charles had been directed to drive around to the back and he noticed that Stephanie and a woman in a Naval uniform standing together. He pointed to them and the security guard waved them to the car and then motioned for more to enter the car. One woman jumped into the front seat before Charles could pull away and drive out onto the main street.

The privacy window was open and the ladies in the back could hear very, very plainly, a pistol cock and a voice say, "If you value your life you will do as I say!"

The ladies in the back seat looked at each other.

"Shit!"


	18. Chapter 18

**Thank you for reading and reviewing.**

Chapter 18

Sophia and Stephanie looked at each other. Was this a mass kidnapping, or was someone in the car being targeted? They both looked around surreptitiously at their fellow captives. The car held nine people but the security guard seemed to have waved off more entering for some reason and there were a few empty seats. Stephanie made a mental note to address that when, not if she got free. She looked around at everyone as they drove along. Everybody seemed shocked that this had happened to them. They didn't look like they were trying to cover up something and deep down, Stephanie was not feeling that anybody in the back was a danger to them. It appeared that they were all in the same boat together.

Stephanie moved her hand to her clutch, thinking that it was times like this that she regretted giving back the panic button. She was not sure if she could get her phone open and press the one button to Rangeman that would alert them to her danger but she was sure that she didn't want to endanger anyone in the car trying. She wondered if anybody else was being targeted with the mass exit out of both doors. Could it have been a ruse with the staff rushing in to draw attention to themselves and allow people out the back who did not want the publicity? Were these the people who someone had targetted all along knowing that they would do just that and then as the media was clamoring for something to report, they could steal away with their real target?

She hoped that Ranger and his men were getting a handle on what was happening back at the Convention Centre. Stephanie hoped that Zoe was safe. She sat still and her mind settled on Les. Had he and the men detained the woman he was hunting for or had she escaped? How many of the wait staff had been in on the disruption anyway? Had the ladies who had raced in with the paint cans changed their plans when she had found the placards and having nothing to carry into the banquet room then picked up the spray paint cans in an effort to ruin the evening dresses on the guests? So many questions and very few answers right now.

Unfortunately she needed to be alert to what was happening in their car. Charles was certainly in danger because he had the crazy woman in the front seat with him with a gun pointed to his head. She hoped that he was calm under pressure, but at first glance, he seemed to be agreeing to all the commands she was giving him. He appeared to have a calmness about him that almost bespoke of having been in dangerous occasions before. Was New York that dangerous that cabbies and limo drivers were faced with armed hold-ups on a regular basis? Had they taken special training to stay calm if things like this happened? Ferrying around VIP's maybe put them in danger more than Stephanie had ever dreamed would happen.

On the other hand, Stephanie wondered if they had been at the wrong place at the wrong time and maybe he or his limo was the target and someone didn't like him or had a beef with his color or occupation. So many questions and so few answers right now.

Her face must have been giving off signals of her innermost thoughts because Sophia watched her every move without turning her head and looking at her. She knew that Stephanie was carrying a cell phone in her clutch because she had seen her check the time at the meal.

Sophia looked at two ladies across from them and her eyes looked at them then down at Stephanie's purse then back up to them. She could see that one of them had figured out what she wanted her to do and gave a little nod of understanding.

She turned around and slapped the lady to her right on the arm and growled. "Ginny, I told you we should have gone out the front door, but you didn't want to have your picture splashed on the ten o'clock news. Now look what you have gotten us into. I swear, I'm never going for your lame-brained ideas again!"

Ginny turned to her attacker and shouted. "Me, you can't control yourself in front of a camera. You like to preen like a peacock in the sunlight. The next time you want to involve me in your plans, do me a favor and leave me out of it."

Another seat mate turned to her friend and cried out. "I can't take drama. I hate this and what we are getting into. I need out right now or I'm afraid I'm going to be sick in this car."

She stood up in the moving car and made to move to the door and tried to force it open, shielding Stephanie from the glass and the front.

Stephanie took that moment to reach in her clutch, grab her phone and flip it open, pressing the button. She left the phone open so that any conversation could be heard. She knew that Hector was back in control and would be recording her call and hopefully pinpointing her location even though they were on the move. She hoped it was enough.

Everyone was yelling now and there was a concerted effort to force open the locked doors.

A very loud voice boomed. "Shut the hell up or I shoot the driver. You in the back, don't throw up, and everyone sit the hell back down so I can see your hands. As a matter of fact, since I can't trust any of you, pass your bags through the window so that nobody gets a chance to phone anyone. NOW!"

The bags were grudgingly passed through the window and the person in front opened each one checking for a phone and turning it off. Two bags did not have one and she shouted. "Who had the bags without the phones?"

Stephanie and one lady slowly put up their hands. The lady without the phone stammered. "I don't carry one and I have no idea how to use one if I had it."

The woman with the gun turned her gaze on Stephanie and she grudgingly handed the phone to her, pressing end.

She turned back to Charles and with her weapon still firmly pointed at him told him to pull over to the curb.

Looking back through the opening in the privacy glass she snarled.

"I'm going to have the driver unlock the back door and all you ladies except for the Admiral and the stupid lady with the phone get out."

She put the gun to Charles' head and bade him unlock the doors. The ladies nearest the handles wrenched them open and scampered out, some ripping their gowns in their haste to escape.

Sophia and Stephanie were left in the car.

"Move so that there are two seats separating you and I can see you and close the damn doors."

They moved to comply all the while with eyes that were flashing with anger. She spoke to Charles.

"Lock the doors again and take off, now!"

As he drove away, she tossed all the handbags out the now open passenger window watching from the side view mirror as the now released captives ran to their bags and their phones.

She gave Charles directions like turn right at the next corner, or go straight through the light. The woman put her phone to her ear and they could plainly hear the one-sided conversation.

"I have her along with the limo driver and some stupid female who tried to be a hero. Are you ready or do we need to ride around some more? I don't want to attract a lot of attention and in this area a limo will."

She listened as more instructions were passed. They were coming to the end of the business district and drove down some side streets, making the people look up from sitting on chairs and swings on their front decks and staring at the fancy car driving down their street. Stephanie could see some taking pictures with their phones or talking. If this were in the least funny, it would resemble a lot of residential streets in the Burg.

Charles turned this way and that, seemingly without a plan until eventually they passed through a large opened gate and came to what looked like a large warehouse. He stopped on command and the car sat with its engine idling as the large delivery door slowly opened. Motioning with her gun she told Charles to drive in and he crept into the darkened garage stopping when he saw a person in front of him put up his hand.

The woman commanded Charles to put the car in park, and unlock the doors. Everyone could hear the small click as the locks disengaged. Charlie's door and the two back doors were wrenched open at the same time and they were all dragged out of the car.

Black bags were put over their heads and with a hand on their arms digging into their biceps they were roughly propelled forward. They could hear the big door close sealing the car and them inside. They could hear the engine on the car being turned off.

They were pulled down what sounded like a passageway and into a room. They were abruptly pulled back and stopped and a chair was placed against the back of their legs and they were pushed down into it. Handcuffs were fitted around their wrists behind their backs locked into place and snap ties were zipped closed caging their ankles tightly to a leg of the chair. The bags over their heads remained in place, but the drawstring was pulled a bit tighter.

They could hear rustling and then footsteps were heard walking away from them. They heard someone open the door and then the metallic click as it was closed and a lock engaged. It was so silent in the room that they could almost hear each other breathing.

Stephanie sighed. She thought she was out of this game and her senses had been dulled from almost two years away from the danger. She wiggled her wrists in the handcuffs but without some kind of pick or the key she could not hope to open them. Fortunately they had not been tightened too tight and she had just a little room to wriggle her wrist around. She could feel the bite of the edge of the cuffs against her wrists and suspected that when she got them off they might be red and chaffed, especially if she kept moving.

Stephanie thought about that. Having chaffed wrists might be the least of her worries.

She spoke. "Well this is a fine mess we've gotten ourselves in. I wonder if we've been missed yet?"

Sophia swore softly. "I hate that I've put you two in danger because of somebody wanting to kidnap me. If I get out of this, my orderly is never going to let me go anywhere without him ever again."

Charles spoke. "Instead of 'if' how about we think positive and say 'when'. Unfortunately it seems that enough of the staff were acting together and right now I suspect that Rangeman and whoever else they have brought in will be trying to figure out who is good and who is not. I hear they are very good at getting to the bottom of problems and I, for one, am hoping that they have enough to come looking for us. Someone will talk, they always do, and hopefully they can lean on someone enough to get at least a heading."

Sophia shifted. She had never liked having something over her head and while she was not afraid of small, enclosed spaces, she never particularly liked to hide in tiny hiding places as a child. This was getting too close for comfort but she employed all her coping abilities in staying calm.

She turned her head toward who she thought was Stephanie and spoke.

"Were you able to send out something to someone and if so, how will they know how to find us?"

Charles spoke up. "Hopefully someone who saw us driving down around these areas will report it to the authorities as suspicious. New Yorkers are extremely vigilant at things that look out of place now and hopefully someone thought to report it. I, for one believe that at least one of the ladies who were let out could give them some descriptions and at least a direction to start looking."

There were new noises by the door and all three shut up trying to get the gist of the conversation.

A male voice spoke possibly on a phone. "Yeah, we have her but we also have a smart aleck female who thought she should play the hero and a limo driver who I don't think we need to worry about. Put it out across the web and lets get this show on the road. We need the publicity and the notoriety right now to help our cause. Besides that, I want my share of the money and I'm not willing to wait too long to get it. Every minute they are here draws possible attention and I for one want to be long gone before the authorities close in."

He paused and appeared to be waiting for someone to finish speaking.

"Naw, they're safe here and can't escape. Since we now have three of them do you want them or should we just rough them up and dump them out somewhere?"

More waiting then a "will-do," from the male.

The lock turned and the door opened and they could feel the cool draft from the hallway. Whatever this building was, it was cold in the hallway. Stephanie had the most intense idea all at once that it had the feel of some kind of packing plant. Her imagination immediately took off remembering movies of gangland murders with meat hooks and walk in freezers and she shivered.

Someone came in and checked that the handcuffs were secure and the ties were tight. They walked out again, closing the door, never saying a word.

She sent a silent plea out hoping that he could sense her.

'Ranger.'


	19. Chapter 19

**Thanks for reading and reviewing**

Chapter 19

Stephanie set her mouth as she tried to move the handcuff around. If she could wiggle it just a little bit, and possibly find some kind of pick she could try to get loose. The guys had taught her long ago to get out of handcuffs but she still needed something to force the lock open.

She had some pins in her hair but with her hands handcuffed behind her back and tied to the chair she was unable to bend down low enough for anyone to grab one without falling over and drawing attention to themselves.

She spoke in the general direction of Sophia.

"By any chance are you wearing a pin on your uniform that has about an inch of thin metal? If I had one, I could attempt to pick these handcuffs off me and we could try to get out of here."

Sophia shook her head no, forgetting that their faces were all covered.

"Sorry, all mine are short with clips on the back for ease of removal, Steph."

Charles spoke up.

"Steph do you really know how to pick open handcuffs or are you just hoping to learn now?"

Stephanie sighed. "I haven't done it in a couple of years, but it's like riding a bike, right?"

Charles considered his next remark.

"Under the buckle of my belt there are a few, shall we say, tools, that sometimes are needed in times of trouble. Unfortunately you will have to undo my belt to get to it in my waistband."

Each sat there pondering the problem.

Sophia spoke up first. "Well we are all blind here so any embarrassment we feel certainly won't be seen by anybody else, so what say we tackle this problem together. Steph and I will try to move over to you on either side and while one tries to work the belt back through the buckle the other works from the other side."

There was silence as everybody pondered the plan looking for a better one, or thinking of their job.

Charles spoke.

"Since you weren't able to talk to anyone, Steph we have to assume that they have no idea what is happening so we need to try to help ourselves. We have no idea how long we have before they come back. I'm going to talk and you two have to move your chairs to get on either side of me."

Everyone cleared their throat at the implications of this move. Charles started to speak and both Stephanie and Sophia turned their heads to find him. Quietly so as not to garner any attention they slowly moved closer and closer to him until they were touching him on either side. It might have looked funny under other circumstances. Sophia and Stephanie tried not to moan in pain as they inched their chairs across the room closer to where Charles was talking. The snap ties cutting into their ankles and legs were going to leave definite welts if not blood. Slowly, ever slowly they came closer and closer finally touching him. They wanted to stop for a minute to rest, but there was no time.

Sophia turned her chair to turn her back so that her hands could locate his belt knowing by Charles's voice that she was on the side with the tongue end of the belt. Sliding her fingers gently along she encountered the end of the belt and began to push it inch by agonizing inch back through the buckle to Stephanie. Stephanie waited for some kind of loop to grab the leather and pull toward her. She pulled the belt with both hands not sure how hard to pull and disengage it. Charles swore softly to himself and tried not to grunt. How tight did she think he had buckled it? He was still a fairly trim man and didn't have any discernible roll around his stomach. He sighed in relief as she finally sprang the metal prong out of the belt hole.

"Okay, I've loosened off the belt. What's next."

Charles spoke.

"On my waistband just by the button there is a little slit and you will find a pick in there. Pull it out really carefully Steph because we really don't need it falling on the floor."

Stephanie shifted again until her left shoulder was pushed into his chest. Her fingers reached out making Charles sit up taller as he coughed nervously.

"Sorry," came the soft apology.

She moved a bit higher and found the waistband and her fingers tried to stay in place.

"What am I looking for?"

Charles was trying really hard to keep his body relaxed and his face was trying its best to maintain a blank expression, quite a waste of time since nobody in the room could see with their hoods.

"Move a little to my left, and you should feel the slight opening."

He stayed as still as he could as her fingers moved slowly, so very slowly along the waistband. They all could hear the tiny 'yes' as she finally managed to put her forefinger on the tiny slit. She shifted again and managed to get both pointer fingers on either side of the hole and feel around trying to locate the tiny instrument.

She finally felt the pick and carefully pulled it out, palming it just to be safe.

She moved her chair just a bit to give her hands some room to move and managed to work her fingers around to slide the pick into the lock, pressing it and moving it around. They all heard the slight snick as the cuff released and grimacing painfully as she pulled her hands around in front of her she ripped off the hood.

Still sitting she moved to unlock Charles. Unfortunately they were still attached to their chairs, but Stephanie watched as Charles took his hood off and maneuvered something else from his waistband, making a few moves with his fingers he soon had a tiny knife in his hand. He reached down and cut the ties on his legs then the girls. He stood up leaving Stephanie to finish releasing Sophia and tiptoed to the door.

Stephanie stood up and reaching over removed Sophia's hood. She then walked very stiffly over behind her and unlocked her from her cuffs.

Sophia stood up trying to massage some feeling back into her joints.

Charles was standing right by the door, listening.

He could hear someone moving around on the other side of the door. What he also heard were footsteps coming closer and closer then stopping.

Everyone froze in place. They had no weapon, they had no way to defend themselves, but at least they were free.

They could clearly hear one talking to another.

"Are you prepared to do what is necessary in there?"

They could clearly hear someone crack their knuckles and then words.

"Yeah. I haven't had a chance to kill anyone in awhile."

They heard the footsteps recede and silence once again. Then they heard the key turn in the lock, and noticed the handle turn.

Charles put his finger to his lips and motioned the girls to stand to one side as he waited.

A man opened the door and standing in the entranceway looked at the now empty chairs in front of him. He opened his mouth to shout a warning just as Charles hit him under the chin driving the heel of his hand upward, catching the guard before he went crashing to the ground.

Charles then peeked out and motioning to the ladies they sidled out the door and walking tightly pressed against the wall down the hallway toward the voices arguing.

They stopped as more voices were heard.

"She said to get rid of them by whatever means necessary. Good thing that Monty is at the door. He wanted to let loose his inner demon and until now we've had him biding his time. After he's done, pin a note on their chests saying that their deaths were the result of America's refusal to return to a proper democracy."

Charles looked at the ladies trying to figure out how to get them out of danger safely and hopefully with no loss of life, at least theirs.

He straightened his shoulders and thought of all the scenarios possible, but the best possibility was to head out there and somehow try to draw everyone away so that the girls could get to his car wherever it was allowing them to escape.

He thought of all the safety equipment that Rangeman had arranged to be installed on it. If bullets were going to fly as he suspected might happen, the run flat tires and the bulletproof glass would help to keep them safe. Unfortunately it would probably sustain bullet holes in the body but that could all be repaired. If the car was outside, the tracker could be activated and they might have some help arriving soon, hopefully soon enough.

Stephanie looked at Charles and shook her head. She could see what he was planning on doing and she pointed to herself and then to along the wall making walking symbols with her two forefingers. She then pointed to them and pantomimed driving the car.

Sophia was shaking her head and waving her hands. She was not going to allow Stephanie to sacrifice herself to save her and that was that. She had also seen Charles looking around.

They looked at each other for another idea. Unfortunately they were running out of time.

Charles tiptoed back to check if the guard he had disabled had a weapon on him and came back holding a Glock in his hand. He looked out at the parking area and noticed a green button by the door. Taking aim, he pulled the trigger hoping the bullet was strong enough to activate the door. They all looked surprised as the door lock disengaged and it began to open.

They could see people look at the door in confusion. Charles sent a shot into the crowd and heard a moan as they scattered. They had all crouched down looking where the shot had originated.

Just then a vehicle rammed into the bottom of the door as it was lifting and pieces of the door ricocheted into the room striking those standing near. They groaned and a number of them fell to the ground.

Stephanie could feel a tingle in the back of her neck as men in black poured into the garage firing at available targets. It was total mayhem for a few minutes as men and/or women were writhing on the ground in pain or quiet in death.

Stephanie and Sophia had hit the ground trying to dodge the flying bullets and they viewed Charles behind an oil drum picking off targets from his new vantage point.

Stephanie crawled to the hall doorway and viewed the carnage. She could see the guys she knew and loved making fast work of the kidnappers. The ones still on their feet were being rounded up and cuffed, sitting against a wall with guards watching.

She accidentally brushed against a pail by the door making a noise and they were faced with at least a dozen weapons trained in their direction and the voice she most wanted to hear yell, "Come out with your hands up."

Slowly Charles stood up, then Sophia and trailing behind, Stephanie walked slowly out the doorway with their hands in the air. Charles put his weapon down on the barrel and raised his hands again.

Ranger lowered his weapon and raced to Stephanie's side, enveloping her in his arms and squeezing her to him so hard that she had trouble breathing.

"Babe, we were so worried when you disappeared. We found the ladies that were in the car and they could only point which direction you headed, but after getting them calmed down they all recanted how you had tried to phone for help. They all agreed that you placed yourself in danger to save them."

He took a breath then continued.

"Hector was tracking you and then your phone turned off. We had installed a tracker on the limo and it just disappeared off the scope too. Les and Bobby had a possible location and we tried to get here as soon as we could, although it seems that you had managed to free yourselves without our help."

He looked at Sophia. "I hope you are unharmed, Admiral. I have been in contact with your superior and he is making plans to have people deploy from the base to assist in finding you. We have so far managed to keep this quiet but if you want to use my phone you can call him yourself."

He handed over his cell and Sophia placed the call.

"Sir, this is Admiral Sophia Brown. I'm just letting you know that I have been rescued and I am safe."

They could hear words being spoken.

"Yes Sir, I am fine."

She listened some more then spoke.

"It was a bit of a scare but also a bit of an adventure and I do have some people to thank who assisted with our release."

She nodded her head.

"Yes Sir, I will be in contact."

Then.

"No Sir, I was not injured."

Then.

"Yes Sir, I will have a medic check me out when I get a minute. I assume that I will be required to make a statement and I will try to impress upon them the need to keep my name out of the newspapers."

They heard more talking.

"Thank you, Sir. It is good to be alive. Good-bye Sir."

Sophia hung up and sighed as she gave back Ranger's phone to him.

"I have been ordered to make myself available to a medic to be cleared. If you can spare me a ride as soon as I can I will just head over to the clinic at Ft. Hamilton for a mandatory check-up.

Stephanie looked at her friend.

"Does it have to be at a military base, because they have a medic at Rangeman who used to patch me up all the time. I can vouch for his care and professionalism and if you are really good and don't complain too much, he might give you a lollipop at the end."

Ranger was looking at Stephanie and his eyebrow raised but she smiled sweetly at him. He picked up his phone and pressed a button.

"Bobby, inside, now." and hung up.

Bobby raced into the building and slid to a stop with his bag in his hand. He was ready to administer whatever help he could.

He stopped at the sight of the four of them.

"You need me, Ranger?" as he looked over the three they had just come to rescue.

"You OK Digger, Bomber..." and he looked at Sophia and subconsciously snapped to attention, "Admiral?"

Stephanie waited and watched as they looked at each other, then smiled.

Sophia spoke. "Stand easy cuz. I need you to officially make sure my bones were not rattled by our adventure tonight. I feel fine but I was ordered to be checked out by a medic and Stephanie here thinks you are more than capable of doing the job. She said if I was good, you would give me a lollipop at the end. My favorite is still cherry."

Bobby slid a glance to Stephanie as she smiled at him and shaking his head he led his cousin to a vehicle in the parking lot.

Ranger moved to get closer to Stephanie again, but she pushed him back, looking from him to Charles.

"Digger, who's Digger and how do you know Charles?" She stepped back and glared at both of them at the same time as her eyes narrowed and her arms crossed over her chest.

Charles spoke. "I tried to keep you from knowing that I knew the guys. I used to serve with a number of them until I was wounded and rotated home. Ranger found me driving a cab and we worked out a deal. If they're in town I get to drive them around if no vehicle is available. We get to tell lies and have a beer together now and then. We didn't try to deceive you, Stephanie but we just didn't think we needed to tell you either."

His voice slowed down and he stopped at the Burg glare she was giving him then back at Ranger.

Ranger had the grace to look a bit embarrassed that his omission had been caught.

"Babe, it was on a need-to-know basis and we just didn't think you needed to know. If nothing happened you would never have known and you would have left New York thinking that Charles was a fun and competent limo driver hired to drive you around."

Ranger looked from Digger to Stephanie and his brow furrowed.

"Changing the subject, how did you get free before we got here?"

Digger looked at Stephanie and they both blushed.

He spoke. "Let's just say it was a group effort and Stephanie was able to pick the lock on the handcuffs and I had some tools on me so we could escape."

He left it at that, and Ranger looked down at Digger with his belt hanging open. He decided that he really had no need to delve any further. Everyone had secrets and it seemed that this was one of them.

Digger quickly did up his belt and adjusted himself. He was back looking like a limo driver.

Ranger guided Stephanie and motioned for Digger to follow and they walked to where a number of police officers were talking to Ram.

Ram stepped away and looked at both Stephanie and Digger standing looking basically non the worse for wear.

"Some days I wonder how you can still get in the middle of trouble, Bomber. We're just wrapping up this and it looks like there will be a sweep of the other instigators soon. They already secured a plane at the airport and I hope to be getting a report soon on it's contents."

He looked at Ranger and spoke again.

"Just in case we needed to get the ladies away from here quickly and quietly, I convinced them to release the limo after the fingerprints were taken from the front passenger area. Sorry Digger, but you'll need to give it a bit of a cleaning."

He waited. Ranger looked down at Stephanie standing tightly against his side with his arm protectively wrapped around her. He could tell that the excitement of the evening was starting to take its' toll and she was beginning to wilt, almost in front of them all. He looked at Digger who was giving sideways glances at his beloved limo.

Nodding at Ram, Ranger spoke.

"Steph has no jacket in this evening air. Digger can drive us back to her hotel. Call me if you need me and convince them that all three can give them their statements tomorrow."

Ranger guided his Babe out to the street, passing a number of EMT's loading the dead and wounded into ambulances or Coroner's vehicles and police taking down statements or reading Miranda's to the captured. He opened the back door to the limo and they both climbed in, closing the door behind them. Charles slipped into the front seat and starting up the car drove away.

Ram looked at the retreating limo. No way on Gods green earth would he be phoning the boss tonight.

He turned back as another official waved at him for more information. He suspected that it would be a long and busy night and while he had no plans he had wanted to check out this great stripper bar Les had told him about, called Cheetah's.

Ranger leaned forward, closing the privacy glass and pulling the curtain closed.

Charles got the message. Drive until he got the signal to head to the hotel. Check. He put the stereo on and turned it up. He kept his thoughts to himself except to mutter, 'Lucky bastard' to himself.


	20. Chapter 20

**Thank you so much for your comments. I appreciate them all.**

Chapter 20

Stephanie woke up wrapped in Ranger's arms and he was watching her as she opened her eyes. She tried to stretch out but her movements were somewhat restricted. She wriggled and then whined.

"Ranger, I really need to pee."

He opened his arms and she flew to the bathroom. As she was washing her hands she noticed the chaffed marks on her wrists from the handcuffs. She looked down and saw the deep red welts from the snap ties. She remembered how she felt knowing that one false move and Charles could have been harmed. She thought of how they all had heard that their lives were so unimportant that whoever had kidnapped them felt no remorse about just dumping their dead bodies somewhere.

Stephanie stood looking at the mirror and a tear ran down her cheek. She tried to stifle her sniffles as the tears continued to fall. Grabbing a towel from the rack, she tried to cry into the soft folds, not wanting to alert Ranger to her misery. She felt like a failure that her emotions were so close to the surface that she couldn't smother them with a smile.

She jumped, dropping the towel as the door crashed open hitting the door stop on the wall and Ranger raced in cradling her against his chest. She could hear his strong, comforting heartbeat through the ear plastered against him and she tried to stop the uncontrollable shaking as she melted into him. Her tears continued to fall and his chest was damp.

She lifted her head and looked up at her best friend and lover.

"Thank you for saving me again, Ranger. I just cannot seem to stay out of trouble."

Ranger held her to him and murmured softly in her ear speaking his native tongue as he continued to rock and comfort her. He scooped her up and carried her back to bed, tucking her in and climbing in behind her. He was holding her as much to comfort her as to reassure himself that she was safe.

She sighed and felt safe as she relaxed in his embrace. Stephanie was trying to get her emotions under control and hiccuped with the effort.

Her hands began to caress his chest muscles and Ranger could tell that she was worrying about something.

"I just can't get my head around why people want to hurt people because of their warped sense of justice."

She sighed.

"I want to phone Sophia and see how she is and I hope that Charles is OK too. He was so calm with that woman sitting there pointing a gun at his head. He kept us calm. Since he was on your Team, Ranger, he must have been good at his job."

She looked at Ranger.

"I need to pack up since the Summit is over and I missed getting in on the extra meetings. I assume I'm heading back to Trenton today and I really need to find my computer and see what's on it. I feel like I've been away a week and I'll be running to catch up for a long time."

She was about to say more, but Ranger lifted her chin with a finger and looked her in the eyes.

"We have the room for another day, Babe. Everyone is fine and I think you need a day to recover. While you were in the washroom Bobby texted me that the Admiral is fine and has been cleared for duty. She sent me an email that unfortunately she will be flying out later today but would really like to see you before she leaves."

He looked at her as she digested the news and he continued.

"She told me to tell you that the three of you need to have a farewell drink at the club. Since I'm sure you have no idea where it is or what it's called, I can drive you there. She promised that they would not allow you to get bombed again, but did mention that your tolerance for liquor is pretty much non-existent and you get coffee after one drink!"

He watched her facial expression and when she looked at him then the bathroom door then back at home he smiled. She wriggled loose then holding her hand out she pulled him off the bed and they headed into the bathroom. He guided her into the stall and closed the door behind them.

~~~o0o~~~

Stephanie stepped into the dim interior of the bar. It was empty of patrons except for two women sitting at a table in the corner.

Ranger stayed outside talking to Admiral Sophie Brown's orderly. He was dressed in his service blues but this time he was openly wearing his weapon on his hip. A military SUV sat at the curb.

Stephanie walked toward the two women sitting at the table. One was dressed in her service blues and one was casually dressed in a pair of dress pants and an open-necked tailored shirt.

She sat down in 'her' chair and smiled. There were three Coronas sitting waiting. They clinked necks and took a sip.

Zoe spoke. "Thanks Stephanie for looking after my best friend. I would have been devastated if something happened to her. At the same time, I'm glad that neither you nor your driver were injured."

Stephanie shrugged and replied. "When I was a bounty hunter, I used to get into all kinds of scrapes and trouble. Ranger was usually there to bail me out and as you can tell, he came to the rescue just in time again."

Zoe played with her bottle of beer.

"It was Alexandra who sold us out. She planned the disruption so that we would send a bunch of you out the back and they could grab her there. Thanks to you seeing the placards and earlier in the day when you had two of the staff taken away, only a small portion of the disruptive staff were able to get into the banquet room but it was enough to make their plan proceed. They wanted to draw attention to their plight and at the same time shame New York. I hear the authorities are still out there rounding up more people.

Some guy named Liam worked with the convention centre in an advisory capacity and he had been setting up hiring the staff for the Summit. According to a few of the captured staff, he is the American Freedom Party's Chapter President. According to the police reports that I have been made privy to, he had been waiting for the right moment to draw attention to their cause.

This is where it gets even more interesting. He contacted Alexandra as she had been a member when she was in college and they set the whole thing up. I wonder if he had been originally planning on just the disruption but we will never know. I understand he was in one of the coroner's wagons leaving the scene last night."

She looked at Sophia sitting quietly in the chair, listening. She had heard about it the evening before as she sat in Zoe's living room decompressing, but listening again, she realized how elaborate the scheme had been. She was one of the targets, albeit an important target that had been added at the last moment due to the sudden cancellation of a presenter. Alexandra had suggested Admiral Sophia Brown to her, and she had been quick to jump on the idea of inviting her friend, the Admiral to speak. Alexandra had had no idea that Zoe and she had been best friends and college buddies until Alexandra had broached the subject of adding the Admiral.

"I made sure I was at the station when they brought Alexandra in. I have worked with her in one capacity or another for years and I didn't know the woman they brought in. Her face showed so much anger and defiance, I was totally blown away. How could she have kept such ideals so secret from everyone, I'll never know."

Zoe shook her head.

Sophia slammed her beer bottle down on the table, making it fizz out the top.

"Zoe, I will NOT sit here and listen as you take the blame for failing to see something unfold. I was the one who ignored the warning signs. I was the one wandering around totally oblivious that I could be a target. I put both Stephanie and Charles in danger because I didn't listen to my own warning bells."

She picked up her bottle and took a sip, then put it down again before speaking.

"Unfortunately, now my orderly is on hyper alert and he advised me that there are very few places I will be allowed to go into alone for some time to come. You saw he is now carrying openly and he knows how to use it too."

She toyed with the bottle again and then took a small sip.

"You know what really sucks? I've been ordered to return to base until this has all been processed through the courts. My next rotation overseas has been cancelled, something that I was really looking forward to and instead I foresee the next number of months riding a desk."

She grimaced.

"While I hate that they continue to target anyone who does not suit their ideals, lifestyles or race, I am relieved that this did not make the press and give them more attention. Growing up I had some idea who to be nervous about, but now I really understand and can only say that people who belong to The American Freedom Party are not nice people."

Each woman nodded their agreement. They would make their peace with what happened their own way and in their own time, but it had been a close call.

Shaking off the doldrums, they toasted each other. "To new friends, may we live to fight another day."

Stephanie stood up and prepared to leave and Sophia stopped her.

"Thanks for putting Bobby and I together again. We caught up and promised to keep in touch. I hoped he would turn out to be a nice guy when he grew up, and I was right. He is a good friend, Stephanie."

Stephanie nodded and turned to go then spun back and looked at Zoe.

"I hope to be invited to attend next year's Summit. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot."

She walked out the door and into Rangers' arms and they headed for the truck parked in front.

They had one more night at The London and there was a fabulous jet tub just waiting to be used.

~~~o0o~~~

Les was waiting at the agreed upon spot for his pick-up. He had contacted his supervisor stating that he was back in town and anxious to continue his training. He watched as a car pulled up, the passenger window slid down into the window well and he was motioned to climb in. He noticed that a homeless man on the corner stood up when he moved.

Les sauntered over and sat in the car. He was expecting the bag to be put over his head and felt it drop.

The car stopped and Les climbed out of the car, a hand guiding him inside a building. The bag was removed and he was escorted through into a back room along with two other people and the door closed behind them. Les noticed that there looked to be about ten men and women milling around, preparing to sit down in the chairs lined up neatly.

He headed for a chair by the front of the room, watching the activity.

He had his hidden tape recorder sewn back into the seam of his jacket and a body mic to talk to the men who were now getting into position. He placed his chair so that anybody speaking would be clearly heard.

An older gentleman, one he had seen the other nights strode into the room and to the front motioning for everyone to take a chair.

"Good evening, everybody. Due to a slight disturbance at our training facility we will be meeting here for the foreseeable future. Our host has kindly donated this room for our use until we can find more suitable accommodation to continue our crusade."

He paused, looking at his notes.

"Unfortunately we had a bit of a bump in the road with our efforts to warn our great country of the impending danger that they are heading for. Our leadership is however, strong and united and we will prevail in our quest."

He took off his glasses and began to clean them.

"Your training will be escalated as your knowledge and skills improve. Your new trainers are in attendance tonight and will be brought in shortly to divide you into your advanced training units."

He nodded at someone at the back of the room and the door was opened. All the training recruits looked behind them observing a number of men and women waiting to enter. They marched in and stood at the front of the room behind the speaker. Some were in dress suits and some in more casual attire. Two were wearing combat with knives and guns prominently displayed on their bodies.

The speaker looked at them and then back out at the assembled. His eyes portrayed the pride he felt as he waved at them.

"These are our most trusted members, carefully selected for their unique skills. You are so very lucky to have the best of the best training you for your new direction in life. Listen well, my friends, and you will learn a great deal from them."

Les spoke softly.

"Go, Go, Go."

Just as the older man was about to leave the dais, the back door exploded and simultaneously, the windows on the side of the room blew into the room showering glass on the floor. Men poured into the small room with their weapons drawn and shouting orders to drop their weapons and put their hands up.

Les dived to the ground in case of gunfire and watched as everyone in the room was quickly rounded up, including him. A member dressed in SWAT quickly cuffed him with his hands behind him, dragged him roughly to his feet and propelled him out the door with a hand at the back of his neck, gripping the collar tightly. Les managed to dodge the door jamb going out but heard a number of grunts as others were not as lucky. He was rushed out the main door where there was a large security van now backed up in the parking lot.

Les was marched into the van, pushed into a seat, belted down and his legs shackled to the floor. He was sitting by one of the trainers and he was livid.

As they drove away, angry voices rose. It was everything from who had talked, to somebody was going to pay for the outrage, to which lawyer to contact. By the time they reached the police station, a number of the restrained had given in to everything from weeping at their predicament to threats that America would pay for this outrage.

Les played the scared new recruit card watching and mirroring others. He jumped as the doors opened and a rush of officers invaded the van, unshackling and roughly escorting them out.

Les was taken down the hall supposedly to a holding area and he was put into a room where Ranger stood with Bobby at his side. Bobby motioned Les to turn around and he unlocked the handcuffs and slapped him on the back.

Bobby held his hand out for the tiny tape recorder Les was removing once again from the shoulder seam of his jacket and walked to the door where there was a plain-clothes detective waiting. He palmed the little instrument and walked away, never speaking.

They walked out of the room together and slid out the side door to where a black SUV was parked by the door, obscuring them all as they climbed in. The vehicle pulled away and headed in a round-about way to Rangeman headquarters, pulling into the garage and watching the door close.

Ranger and Les stepped into the elevator and headed to five. Stephanie was in the building and it sounded like she was in the lunchroom talking to the men. They heard a moan of enjoyment and assumed that the new housekeeper, Arielle had snuck something delicious to her to try.

Bobby joined them and grimaced as another moan came from the room. They all subconsciously adjusted themselves. It had been awhile and they had forgotten what effect she had on them when eating.

~~~o0o~~~

James set the plane down in Trenton and everyone stood up to deplane. Some grabbed a duffel and some waited for the luggage hold to be opened. Stephanie had her suitcase and her computer bag but Rob was arranging to have her wardrobe shipped separately.

Hector and Les had stayed back in New York. They both had some unfinished business to deal with.

Les received a text and he smiled as he sat at his desk, writing out his report on his part of the mission. There was only one word on the screen; 'lizard'.

Stephanie's phone beeped with a text and opening it she saw a picture attachment. She showed Ranger the picture and he growled, "Babe," and she giggled. Hector and Ron had taken a selfie in a park. It was too early to see where it might go, but she was happy for both her friends.

Ranger put his hand on her arm to stop her from leaving.

"Babe, is this a new direction, matchmaking my men?"

She smiled and reaching over, gave him a kiss then wiped the lip gloss off his cheek.

"Oh Ranger, give it a rest! I learned at the Summit that women are excellent multi-taskers and should be encouraged to expand their horizons."

With that, she walked down the stairs of the plane and gave James a kiss on the cheek.

She climbed into the Turbo and with Ranger driving and shaking his head they sped off. It was late and they were tired.

~~~o0o~~~

There were a number of vehicles waiting to transport all the passengers and luggage back to Rangeman. Ram noticed Nicols standing by one of the vehicles and strode to him. He snapped to attention as Ram stood in front of him. Ram noticed that he was looking better and that he was wearing the regulation Rangeman shirt once again.

"Explain."

Andrew gulped and stayed locked into position. His eyes never shifted as he spoke.

"I am on light duty for another two days, Sir. Stick has been checking it and I have the cleaning materials now to help it heal."

Ram had been wondering what had been under the bandage but he waited.

"Some friends of mine were in town and we were celebrating with a few beer. We had one of those silly ideas to get tats and without checking first, we just dropped into a little shop and had them done. I checked and we all had infection of one kind or another.

I didn't know that you had to take care of it and I neglected to put anything on it or clean it afterwards. I guess I lost the sheet of information.

Unfortunately, or maybe not, I also found out that I'm allergic to tattoo ink so this is my one and only tat, Sir."

He stared ahead knowing the next question.

"So Nicols, what did you put your health in danger for to have inked?"

Andrew blushed. It sounded so ridiculous now.

"Sir, it's a ground squirrel. We used to hunt them out on the farm and thought it would be cute to have them on our arms. At the time, it seemed like a cool idea but looking back, I could have wished for someone to stand up and point out how juvenile the whole idea really was."

He was new enough to Rangeman that Andrew Nicols had not gained a nickname as yet. He shuddered to think that it might become Gopher or Squirrel.

~~~o0o~~~

Ranger and Stephanie pulled into the hospital parking spot and walked hand in hand down the hall to Lula's room. They knocked and walked in, seeing Tank sitting on the bed holding her hand.

She looked up and gave a teary smile. Stephanie walked to the bed, gave Tank a kiss on the cheek on the way past and then bent over to give Lula a gentle hug.

She already had an IV in her hand and her hair was encased in a surgical bonnet. Lula was waiting to go up to surgery.

The men left the room to give the ladies some alone time.

Lula spoke first.

"There is no use delaying the inevitable Steph. I signed the papers to have the hysterectomy done. My dream of a little girl for Tank will stay a dream unless we adopt and we are actually considering it. I realized that I was endangering my health and I have a family to look after. I saw the boys earlier and they are at home with Mary Lou right now. She is absolutely amazing. She had people helping around the clock looking after them and assisting Amanda and Marjorie."

She looked at Steph and a tiny smile peeked through.

"Mary Lou was wondering when you two were showing up. I think she's penciling in a shift or two for you both and I warn you now, the twins walked a few days ago."

Stephanie groaned and put her hands over her face. She knew that ML would be hunting her down and unless she left immediately she would be putting her threat into action. She wondered if she could pretend to misplace her cell phone temporarily.

The door opened and a number of medical personnel walked in with Tank behind them.

Stephanie stood up and gave her another hug.

"We'll be here when you come back down, Lula."

She walked out the door knowing that they didn't need her in the room.

Stephanie walked to Ranger and took his hand. They headed out the front door and to the little pond in the hospital garden. It was time for that talk.

They sat down on a bench and watched the koi floating past them, gently giving a small wave of their tails as they moved along.

Stephanie spoke."While I really love my business and all the contacts I have made, I have been thinking that I want to step back and let the business come to me for a change. I still want to attend Open Houses but this being away for weeks living in a hotel is growing old really fast. I think in the near future I will be looking at finding an assistant leaving me to concentrate on the business from closer to home."

She looked at Ranger and took his large hand in hers, closed her fingers over his and squeezed.

"I absolutely love Kentucky and if I were to move somewhere else someday I hope that it would be there. Saying that, Trenton is my home so if you have a corner for me at Rangeman, I miss the guys and would like to rent a space from you. I don't need much but I really feel the need to be near the comforting security of the big tough men you employ right now."

She looked at him and caressed his hand again. "I just signed the papers to sell my little condo. I was hardly there and besides, I like your gym, and your jet tub is better than mine, and your million thread count sheets are so much nicer, and you have Ella, and..."

Ranger kissed her on the mouth and then looking in her eyes, he spoke.

"And what about me, Babe? "

Stephanie looked at him.

"I used to rail at you and Rangeman taking all your time, but I realized that I too was doing the very same thing. Before I cast stones here, we need to sit down and figure out what we want in life and for how much and how long. Saying that, Carlos, I want to be near you for the rest of my life, if you will have me."

She sighed as he enveloped her against his chest again and she thought that she might have imagined it, but his heart started to beat a little faster.

"Mi amore, Babe, I love you and want you to have me for the rest of my life too."

Neither of them noticed the sun rising higher and higher in the sky, or the people walking past them smiling as they saw two people obviously in love, wrapped in each others' embrace.

Ranger picked up his Babe and set her on his lap. She lay her head against his chest and they both watched the pairs of koi swimming together, first one leading, then the other. They looked at each other and smiled. Not that they wanted to be classed as fish, but each wanted to lead and each was willing to follow. It would take discussion, and time, and hopefully they never tired of the game.

Ranger wondered when he should mention that he had been talking to his financial planner and a plan to check the feasibility for a new branch in Lexington was on the drawing board. It might take a year to get it up and running, but he was a patient man. Rangeman had a plane and he figured that James might build up some more hours on his log for the foreseeable future. Until then, they could take turns going back and forth and they had their phones to call each other. They were both strong enough that they could make this work for them.

He wondered if the mare she had looked at was still for sale. He wondered where Ella had stashed his chaps. He had not ridden a horse in a long, long time, but it was like riding a bike, right?

~~~o0o~~~

Lula walked very gingerly into her house with Tank by her side lightly grasping her elbow to support her as she stepped over the sill. They stopped in the entranceway and listened, to silence.

They walked into the living room and spied Ranger and Stephanie sitting on the couch leaning back. On a shoulder each was holding one of the twins. They were sleeping and their little mouths were slack jawed and tiny hands holding onto the shirt fronts of their care givers.

Lula looked at Ranger and Stephanie also sleeping. Tank had his cell phone out ready to take a picture when he spied Ranger's eyes open and watching him.

Tank looked closer. Stephanie was wearing a necklace that one of the twins was gripping in his little hand. He shifted and both Tank and Lula noticed that on the chain was what looked to be two golden bands interlocked together. Tank had never seen her wear this before and he wondered.

Could it be?...Did they?...really?

**A/N – last chapter tomorrow.**


	21. Chapter 21

**For all intensive purposes pretend this is 2015. Silly me, I wrote the whole story then tied it all up in this epilogue. My bad.**

Chapter 21

Epilogue

It had been a year, but what a year!

Rangeman Lexington was up and running. Employees were still getting the bugs out of the branch but response times were improving, business was picking up and there was a feeling of camaraderie and excitement in the new branch.

Bobby had flown in for the celebration from San Francisco where he was enrolled in the last courses for his medical degree. He had been able to skirt a number of requirements with his medic training and with the courses he had previously taken at university was hoping to eventually specialize in trauma. Rangeman's long term plan involved Dr. Robert Brown in charge of the medical units of all the branches. While it would be part-time for some time, he was excited to further his education at the same time as staying on top of things at Rangeman.

He had kept in touch with his cousin Sophia and she had greased a number of wheels with her medical contacts for him. Sophia had decided to retire from the Navy after a stellar career and was now travelling around the country as a consultant for a medical company. She liked to drop in now and then to see her many friends, but when she was in Kentucky, she kept her promise and continued to allow Stephanie only one measly beer!

Les had flown in from Rangeman New York. He and Rory had had a few discussions on the mats and had come to an agreement on the paperwork. Les agreed to take over on every second weekend but his weeknights were free. He also made sure that his in-box was never left on his desk when he was not on the floor. After much soul-searching he had abandoned taking up residence in Miami. Home was New York and he had found lots of reasons to not regret his decision.

He had found a woman who he desperately wanted to stay with him for the long term. She made his heart beat faster every time he thought of her. He loved her scent as she snuggled into his embrace, and sex was just a mind-blowing event any time they were together. Unfortunately, she was a true free spirit herself and was repelling his advances. Time would tell if these two play-people could get on the same page.

Tank and Lula and their three children had flown in with James flying the new Rangeman plane and were already taking up temporary residence in a suite in the building. Marjorie and a part-time assistant had also made the trip to help with the children.

They were blessed with a baby girl along with the twins now. She had been given up at birth by her way-too-young teenage mother and they had stepped up to officially adopt her. The adoption agency had fast-tracked their application after a preliminary check of their finances and family dynamics. Her life had started off a bit on the rough side but with Lula and Tank providing an extremely loving family environment she was going to have every chance to succeed. Abigail was a happy, healthy baby at six months old and the apple of her daddy's eye. Tank had caught himself thinking of her as 'AB'. He liked initials. Lula, on the other hand, was holding out on at least one of their children answering to a real name.

Unbeknown to anyone, Lula had found, purchased and already stashed in the back of the closet a child's tea service, some tiaras and had brought out of deep storage all her feather boas and scarves. It was a service for six and she fully intended the entire family to be enjoying 'tea' in the not too distant future.

The twins were now two, and as the saying, terrible two's, it suited them to a tee. They were too young for the electric quads Daddy was eying, but there was time for that too in the near future. Tank also reasoned that if they had quads, Dad needed one to ride herd on them. Just in case, he had also checked on a pink quad for Abigail.

Lula was at peace with her life and her family. After the hysterectomy she only then realized how her body had been rebelling with the fibroids and having lost a good portion of weight chasing children, she was now looking trim and fit, at least for Lula.

Bobby's replacement medic was keeping an eye on Ram medically and so far he was within acceptable guidelines. Everyone slips up now and then and Ram was human like everybody else. Unfortunately, seeing Bobby standing at his office door one morning was certainly cause for alarm and Ram had been looking at another macrobiotic diet unless he could do some fancy talking. Bobby didn't allow pleading on his watch and after sitting down they devised a diet that both could live with. Ram promised that he would stay away from pizza and pizza subs and Bobby put away the diet.

Ram had moved steadily up the ladder with more and more responsibility and was now assisting Tank with his duties in Trenton. After a conference call with Leadership Core, Ram had just recently been offered the position of second in command, Trenton. As a matter of fact, he was back in Trenton holding down the fort while the new branch was having their official grand opening. It was his first official act being left in charge while Tank left town.

Ranger had decided that he wanted to get out of the hustle and bustle of Trenton and had moved to Kentucky to oversee the new branch and to be closer to Stephanie with her ever expanding business. A number of employees with western roots had chosen to transfer to the new branch. It took a lot of convincing of the LC, but Rangeman Lexington debuted a new uniform on the employees. The cargoes and shirts were the same design, just not black. Kentucky and black was not going to fly. Instead, they were more of a desert sandy color and now other branches were petitioning to have a choice too.

So far, Ranger had not officially chosen a second in command, but Woody was proving that he deserved a serious look at the position. Who knew that he had such a good business head on his shoulders. He was calm and cool under pressure, and a southern gentleman when he needed to be. He was comfortable dealing with Kentucky businessmen and landowners and carried on as many sales and service inquiries sitting on the back of a horse as sitting in a boardroom.

In addition to an assistant who absolutely loved to travel, Stephanie had also hired a secretary and a part-time book-keeper to assist her.

Her ideas of an internet-only company had a few growing pains but after consulting with and brainstorming with Natalie Cooper, the lecturer at the Summit last year, she had massaged her business plan and was gearing up to expand even more so. Stephanie was presently leasing a small office near the race-track but was contemplating a move to larger premises.

She was poring over the plans to expand onto a floor of her own in the Rangeman building but the discussions were hitting the odd snag. She wanted to pay rent and utilities and Ranger was balking as only Ranger could do. Whenever she had tried to re-open the subject, he had just gathered her in his arms and gave her a mind-blowing kiss, stating, "No price, Babe."

Men! Sometimes they were so frustrating!

Stephanie had indeed been invited to attend the 2015 Forbes Women's Summit, but as a presenter! She had stayed at the London once again and Ranger had joined her, taking the opportunity to check out the New York branch. Once again, they had been contracted to provide security but this year the entire Summit had gone off without so much as a hint of trouble. Stephanie had been invited to the meetings after the Summit ended and it was there that she made a number of important contacts if she wanted to branch into even more states. People came to her for advice and mentoring. She was paying it forward to the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

Ranger and Stephanie were living together on the top floor of the Rangeman building and it suited them. Neither of them needed a house with a picket fence. Neither of them wanted children, or more children.

Stephanie had returned to Trenton a few times to visit family and friends but her life was now firmly entrenched in Kentucky and the neighboring states. Her family had flown out to see her the odd time but while they had enjoyed the visit, they could never see themselves spending any significant time away from their beloved Burg.

As for Ranger and Stephanie and the strange relationship they had? Marriage was still not on the books and possibly never would. They knew in their hearts that they were meant for each other, but the idea of saying the words scared them both too much to even contemplate taking it any further. The ring that Ranger had put on Stephanie's left hand was enough. The necklace with the interlocking bands was also a confirmation of their love for each other. They were committed, and they were in love. What more could one ask for?

Maybe they'd get a dog, maybe not!

**Again I have come to the end of a story. I tried for less angst and a bit more adventure. **

**I cannot tell a lie. It bothered me what I had done to weaken Stephanie on 'Angel Wings' and I felt the need to redeem myself a bit. I made her strong again.**

**Many thanks to Megan who tried for every color under the rainbow as she corrected or made gentle suggestions. **

**Also, thanks to Linda for letting me bend her medical ear. No doctor wants to hear those terrible words, 'I need to make her sick'.**

**It is summer and time to take a break. I hope to be back with another story soon. **

Myrna


End file.
